[I. Call to Order]
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COUNCILMAN COOPER PRESENT, COUNCILMAN MCDANIEL? PRESENT, MAYOR MOORE WOLF, PRESENT, SEVEN.
PLEASE STAND AND JOIN IN THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.
ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER INDIVISIBLE TO LIBERTY AND JUSTICE.
[II. Appearance of Citizens]
WITH THE APPEARANCE OF CITIZENS POLICY RELATIVE TO APPEARANCE OF CITIZENS IS AS FOLLOWS, A 30 MINUTE TIME PERIOD IS PROVIDED FOR CITIZENS TO APPEAR AND EXPRESS THEIR VIEWS BEFORE THE CITY COUNCIL.EACH CITIZEN SPEAKING WILL BE LIMITED TO ONE APPEARANCE OF UP TO THREE MINUTES.
NO IMMEDIATE RESPONSE WILL BE GIVEN BY CITY COUNCIL OR CITY STAFF MEMBERS.
CITIZENS ARE TO GIVE THEIR DOCUMENTS, IF ANY, TO THE POLICE OFFICER FOR DISTRIBUTION TO THE COUNCIL.
THE MAYOR DETERMINES THAT ALL PERSONS WISHING TO SPEAK IN ACCORDANCE WITH THIS POLICY HAVE DONE SO.
MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL AND KEY STAFF MAY MAKE COMMENTS.
DOES ANYONE WISH TO APPEAR BEFORE COUNCIL TONIGHT? MY NAME IS JAMES TAYLOR AND I'M WANT TO KNOW, THIS IS THE LAST MEETING I'M ATTENDING FOR THIS YEAR,
DOES ANYONE ELSE WISH TO APPEAR BEFORE COUNCIL TONIGHT? HELLO.
MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL OF YOU.
HAPPY HANUKKAH AND HAPPY NEW YEAR TO EVERYONE.
HOPEFULLY YOU WE'LL HAVE A SAFE AND HAPPY NEW YEAR.
I WANTED TO FIRST TELL YOU THE OTHER DAY I WANTED TO GO TO THE KNO MEETING AND I FOUND OUT THE KNO MEETING IS NOT HERE, NOR IS IT AT THE LIBRARY.
SO I WENT TO, I WENT TO TO TAKE THE BUS TO GO TO KNO, BUT SOME PEOPLE PAID THE BUS DRIVERS TO LET ME ARRIVE A LITTLE BIT LATE.
WHEN I WENT TO KATHY, SHE GOES, NOPE, IT'S DONE.
WHEN SHE LOOKED AT ME, I DIDN'T GET A FAIR CHANCE TO VOTE.
SHE'S THE ONE THAT PAID PEOPLE, HER WHOLE GROUP AND PRIOR PEOPLE WHO WORKED THERE.
THEY DIDN'T WANNA HAVE IT HERE BECAUSE THEY DON'T WANNA DO IT.
RIGHT? AND ALL IT IS IS ASKING FROM HOW TO MAKE MONEY.
THEY JUST WANNA MAKE MONEY, MONEY, MONEY.
BUT THEY'RE NOT DOING THINGS FOR THE US.
THEY'RE, THEY'RE ACTUALLY ACTING LIKE GANGSTERS.
THEY'LL START FIRES, THEY'LL RUN, YOU KNOW, UH, TAKE THAT ENGINE AND GO BOOM WITH THEIR CARS.
YOU KNOW, THEY'LL PUT FUMES IN THE AIR, THEY'LL PAY MOTORCYCLES, AND THEN THEY'LL DESTROY STREETS.
THEY'LL DESTROY SEWER SYSTEMS AND THEY'LL DESTROY SIDEWALKS.
BUILDINGS, THEY'LL AFFECT BUILDINGS.
THEY PUT A HOLE THE OTHER DAY, NOT THIS PAST FRIDAY, THE FRIDAY BEFORE.
THEY PUT A HOLE ON THE ROOF ON FRIDAY AT 5:13 PM THAT IS KONO WITH SOME PEOPLE IN THE MEDIA.
AND THE MEDIA HAS TO DO WITH OPRAH WINFREY.
OPRAH WINFREY'S RELATIVES LIVE ON MY STREET.
AND IT'S THE MEDIA THAT COME AND THEN THEY MAKE MONEY UNDER THE TABLE FROM, FROM COCAINE, FROM, YOU KNOW, FROM COCAINE AND CRACK AND MARIJUANA, HEROIN, YOU NAME.
THEY NEED TO MINE THEIR OWN BUSINESS AND, AND KEEP THE PEACE, YOU KNOW? AND THEN, LEMME TELL YOU SOMETHING, TO BE HONEST WITH YOU, YOU KNOW, UM, I I, I WOULDN'T SAY SOMETHING IF IT DIDN'T HAPPEN, BUT I'LL TELL YOU SOMETHING.
KNO IS, IF YOU LOOK UP THE NAME KNO, IT'S NOT AN ADEQUATE NAME.
THE DEFINITION OF KNO, IF YOU LOOK IT UP IN SPANISH, WHOA.
SECOND OF ALL, WE DON'T NEED KONO.
ALL WE NEED IS NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICES.
NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICES, WHERE IT'S LEGAL, LOCAL, STATE, FEDERAL.
WHEN THEY GO SNEAK OUT AND HAVE THE JOINERS OF OLD KING ORCHARD COMMUNICATE WITH OTHER JOINERS SO THAT THEY CAN SAY, HEY, HEY, LET'S, LET'S COME HERE SO THAT WE CAN GET IT OUR WAY.
THE PEOPLE'S WAY, NOT YOUR WAY.
AND THEN ALSO, I WANT TO LET YOU KNOW ALSO IS WHAT YOU SEE ON THE NEWS.
TRYING TO MAKE PEOPLE START WARN, MAKE THINGS WORSE.
THE MEDIA IS GIVING AMERICA AND THE WORLD SOMETIMES WRONG INFORMATION SO PEOPLE CAN GET, AND SO THAT THEY CAN ACT UP.
WE ALL NEED TO SIT BACK, YOU KNOW, DO THE BEST THAT WE CAN AND NOT MAKE THE WAR WORSE THAN IT IS NOT TO CREATE HARDSHIP ON BOTH SIDES.
AND THANK YOU AND HAVE A GREAT DAY.
DOES ANYONE ELSE WISH TO APPEAR BEFORE? COUNSEL?
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GOOD EVENING.I'M ANNE OWENS AND I WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU TO KATHY AND TO LEANNE.
I WAS NEWLY ELECTED TUESDAY AS THE SECRETARY OF KONO.
WE'VE ALREADY HAD BOARD MEETINGS, ROCHELLE'S HELPING US.
WE'RE DOING A GREAT JOB OF TRYING TO DO OUTREACH TO GET MORE NEIGHBORHOODS INVOLVED.
MY OWN NEIGHBORHOOD ORGANIZATION MOVED THEIR MEETING NOT EACH FROM BEING ON TUESDAY NIGHT, WHICH CONFLICTED WITH A LOT OF OTHER MEETINGS TO WEDNESDAY NIGHT.
AND SO MILLIKEN HEIGHTS IS NOW GETTING MORE PEOPLE IN ATTENDANCE.
WE ALSO HAVE COUNT WEST IS WORKING VERY HARD TO GET THE WEST IN GROUP BACK GOING AGAIN.
SO IF ANY COUNCIL MEMBER WOULD LIKE TO ATTEND, YOU CAN START WATCHING OUR FACEBOOK PAGE.
YOU CAN ALSO EMAIL KATHY OR MYSELF.
WE'D BE HAPPY TO HAVE YOU AT ANY MEETING.
DOES ANYONE ELSE WISH TO APPEAR BEFORE COUNCIL? GOOD EVENING.
COULD YOU GIVE US YOUR NAME, PLEASE? OH, ANTHONY CHAPEL.
I'D LIKE TO SPEAK TO THE COUNCIL ON THE RECENT GARBAGE RATE INCREASE.
THE INCREASE OF FOUR 50 WILL AFFECT, ACCORDING TO YOUR DOCUMENTS, A MINORITY OF CITIZENS.
DOESN'T THAT MAKE THIS INCREASE SELECTIVE AND DISCRIMINATORY AGAINST THOSE WHO HAVE THEIR OWN CONTAINERS? THIS ISN'T A SHARED INCREASE FOR ALL CUSTOMERS.
WHILE THE HAULERS HAVEN'T RAISED RATES IN TWO AND A HALF YEARS, A 23.7% INCREASE AT ONCE PLUS ANOTHER 4% ANNUALLY AFTER IS OVER THE TOP.
IN MY OPINION, MY DE MY 2016 RATE WAS $14 AND 50 CENTS IN SEVEN YEARS, RATES WILL HAVE INCREASED 62%.
AND I'M NOT SURE WHAT IMPROVEMENTS IN SERVICES HAVE OCCURRED.
I HOPE THE HAULERS WILL TAKE THIS RATE, HIKE AND INVEST IN A BETTER SYSTEM AND NOT JUST LARGER CONTAINERS.
IN THE LAST 50 YEARS, THE ONLY REAL CHANGE TO GARBAGE PICKUP IS USING A CLAW TO PICK UP THE CONTAINER INSTEAD OF HUMAN LABOR.
MY IDEA IS TO MODERNIZE GAR GARBAGE SERVICE THAT WILL STREAMLINE SERVICE, REDUCE THE CARBON FOOTPRINT, AND SHOULD REDUCE COST.
A SYSTEM THAT WILL NOTIFY OUR DISPOSAL COMPANIES IN ADVANCE OF WHERE SERVICES ARE NEEDED WITH TODAY'S LARGER CONTAINERS AND GENERAL EFFORTS TO REDUCE WASTE.
I DON'T PUT MY CONTAINERS OUT EVERY WEEK YET.
ALL THREE DISPOSAL SERVICES DRIVE BIWEEKLY INSTEAD OF THE TRADITIONAL LOOK FOR GARBAGE APPROACH IS IN A TIME WE TRY A NEW APPROACH OF TARGETED COLLECTION, SOME TYPE OF NOTIFICATION SYSTEM AT COMPUTERIZED, WHATEVER.
IF THE DISPOSAL COMPANIES WERE INFORMING EVENTS OF WHAT CUSTOMERS NEEDED PICKUP, THEY COULD THEN TAILOR THEIR ROUTES, EQUIPMENT, AND PERSONNEL TO THOSE SPECIFIC ADDRESSES.
THIS WOULD LEAD TO A REDUCTION IN OUR CARBON FOOTPRINT, COST ASSOCIATED WITH THE MAINTENANCE AND OPERATIONS OF VEHICLES, LABOR COSTS, TRAFFIC ON OUR ROADS, AND HOPEFULLY THOSE SAVINGS WOULD BE PASSED ON TO THE CUSTOMERS.
THE INITIAL INVESTMENT IN THE SYSTEM WOULD BE THE, WOULD BE THE ONLY COST TO THE CITY AND CUSTOMERS.
AND THROUGH THE INCREASED EFFICIENCY, WE SHOULD SEE A RETURN ON THAT INVESTMENT.
THIS IS WHERE TRUE EFFICIENCY AND SAVINGS WILL COME FROM.
IT WON'T COME FROM TRYING TO SAVE A FEW MINUTES HERE AND THERE EMPTY IN ONE CONTAINER INSTEAD OF TWO.
FINALLY, BASED ON THE CHAPTER 56, CHAPTER 56 ORDINANCE IN APPENDIX, AND I KNOW IT'S BEEN UPDATED, IT SHOWS THAT THIS RATE HIKE WAS SUPPOSED TO HAVE HAPPENED SEPTEMBER 1ST, 2023.
IT SEEMS THAT COUNCILMAN HALL HAULERS HAD ALREADY AGREED ON THIS WAY BEFORE THE NOVEMBER 2ND HEARING.
IT SEEMS THE PUBLIC HEARING WAS JUST A CHARADE TO FULFILL THE LEGAL REQUIREMENTS, BUT THE INCREASE WAS ALREADY DETERMINED MONTHS EARLIER.
DOES ANYONE ELSE WISH TO APPEAR BEFORE COUNSEL TONIGHT? ARE THERE ANY COMMENTS FROM COUNCIL MEMBERS OR STAFF? SEE NONE.
[III. Approval of Minutes]
APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES.APPROVAL OF MINUTES OF DECEMBER 4TH, 2023.
SEVEN AYES, NO NAYS, ANY UNFINISHED BUSINESS? NONE.
[1. Treasurer's Financial Report]
NEW BUSINESS, WE START WITH THE TREASURER'S FINANCIAL REPORT.MR. WRIGHTON, MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
I BELIEVE THE TREASURER'S REPORT, AND THIS IS FOR THE NOVEMBER PERIOD, IS ON TRACK WITH SOME OF THE INDICATIONS THAT WE'VE SHARED WITH YOU, NOT ONLY IN PREVIOUS TREASURER'S REPORTS, BUT ALSO DURING YOUR BUDGET DELIBERATIONS.
THAT THE, UH, RESERVE NOW SITS AT 102, UH, DAYS.
THAT THAT WILL REDUCE CLOSER TO 90 AS WE GET TO THE CLOSER TO THE FISCAL YEAR AND MAKE FINAL ADJUSTMENTS IN
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THE FISCAL YEAR.I THINK FOR THE MOST PART, I WOULD GENERALIZE BY SAYING THAT THOSE REVENUE ITEMS AND EXPENDITURE ITEMS THAT WE'RE, WE'RE TRACKING A LITTLE BIT FLAT OR BELOW ARE DOING SO.
AND THOSE THAT ARE STILL ON TRACK WITH THE STAFF'S PROJECTIONS ARE DOING SO AS WELL.
AND SO I EXPECT THAT THE YEAR END WILL BE AS WE HAD PROJECTED IT IN THE BUDGET.
BUT IF YOU HAVE ANY SPECIFIC QUESTIONS, THE STAFF THAT PREPARED THE TREASURER'S REPORT IS HERE.
ANY QUESTIONS ON THE FINANCIAL REPORT FROM COUNCIL? SEEING THEM, WE WILL MOVE ON TO THE PUBLIC HEARING
[2. Public Hearing Concerning the 2023 Property Tax Levy]
CONCERNING THE 2023 PROPERTY TAX LEVY.I HEREBY DECLARE THE PUBLIC HEARING OPEN.
UM, ARE THERE ANY, UH, FOLKS IN THE AUDIENCE THAT WOULD LIKE TO ADDRESS COUNSEL ON THIS ISSUE? ANY COMMENTS FROM COUNSEL? SEEING NONE, I DECLARE THE PUBLIC HEARING CLOSED.
[3. An Ordinance Levying Property Taxes for the City of Decatur, Illinois for the Purpose of Raising Revenue to Meet Certain Necessary Expenses of the City for the Fiscal Year Beginning January 1, 2024, and Ending December 31, 2024]
THREE IN ORDINANCE LEVYING PROPERTY TAXES FOR THE CITY OF DECATUR, ILLINOIS FOR THE PURPOSE OF RAISING REVENUE TO MEET CERTAIN NECESSARY EXPENSES FOR THE CITY, FOR THE FISCAL YEAR, BEGINNING JANUARY 1ST, 2024 AND ENDING DECEMBER 31ST, 2024.MOTION TO THE ORDINANCE, DO PASS AND BE ADOPTED.
SECOND, MR. WRIGHTON, MAYOR AND COUNSEL, THIS ORDINANCE HAS BEEN PREPARED IN ACCORDANCE WITH YOUR INSTRUCTIONS THAT THE APPROXIMATE INCREASE IN THE TAX RATE NEXT YEAR BE 3%.
I WANNA POINT OUT THAT THE CITY REALLY DOESN'T, THIS IS KIND OF A MISNOMER.
THE CITY, UH, DOESN'T REALLY SET THE LEVY.
THE CITY ESTABLISHES A DOLLAR AMOUNT, UH, OF ELIGIBLE PROPERTY TAXES IN THE DIFFERENT CATEGORIES OF PROPERTY TAX THAT YOU LEVY.
WE VERY CAREFULLY MONITOR CHANGES IN EQUALIZED ASSESSED VALUE AND DECISIONS ABOUT, UM, OVERALL VALUES, UH, BASED ON DATA PROVIDED BY THE TOWNSHIPS AND THE COUNTY.
AND WE BELIEVE SO THAT WE HIT YOUR TARGET OF 3%.
UH, BUT WHAT ACTUALLY HAPPENS IS THAT ALL OF THE TAXING BODIES EACH PRODUCE THEIR SEPARATE TAX LEVY AND THAT, AND THEN COLLECTIVELY, THOSE ARE ALL AGGREGATED BY THE COUNTY TO PRODUCE THE TAX BILLS THAT ARE SENT OUT.
UM, AND SO WE BELIEVE WE'RE, WE'RE PRETTY CLOSE TO THE MARK, BUT IT MIGHT BE SOME TINY, TINY PERCENTAGE OFF THAT 3%.
UH, BECAUSE OF, BECAUSE WE DON'T KNOW, FOR EXAMPLE, HOW MANY PROPERTIES MIGHT HAVE THEIR, THEIR EQUALIZED ASSESSED VALUE ADJUSTED BY THE BOARD OF APPEALS OR, OR SOME OTHER FACTORS THAT CONTRIBUTE TO THAT TOTAL.
BUT WE BELIEVE, WE BELIEVE THAT IT'S PRETTY ON TARGET TO REACH YOUR OBJECTIVE, WHICH WAS 3%.
ANY QUESTIONS FROM COUNCIL FOR THE MANAGER? SAY NONE.
[4. Budget Reconciliation Ordinance Appropriating Additional Monies for the Purpose of Defraying the Expenses for Certain Funds of the City of Decatur, Illinois for the Fiscal Year Ending December 31, 2023]
BUDGET RECONCILIATION ORDINANCE APPROPRI.ADDITIONAL MONIES FOR THE PURPOSE OF DEFRAYING THE EXPENSES FOR CERTAIN FUNDS OF THE CITY OF DECATUR, ILLINOIS FOR THE FISCAL YEAR.
MOTIONS THE ORDINANCE TO PASS AND BE ADOPTED.
UH, WITH YOUR PERMISSION, I'D LIKE TO SORT OF DISCUSS, UH, ITEMS FOUR AND FIVE TOGETHER, BECAUSE THEY BOTH RELATE TO THE YEAR END FINANCIAL CLOSEOUT OF THE BUDGET AND THE FISCAL PERIOD.
AND I'LL ASK, UH, MS. JAMES TO HELP ME OUT WITH THIS.
THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ITEMS FOUR AND FIVE IS THAT ITEM FOUR IS THE BUDGET RECONCILIATION ORDINANCE.
NOW, THE CITY OF DECATUR OPERATES UNDER WHAT THE STATUTES CALL THE, THE BUDGET PROCESS.
UM, WHICH MEANS THAT THERE'S NOT AN APPROPRIATIONS ORDINANCE.
INSTEAD, WE ADOPT A BUDGET, AND THAT IS THE LEGAL DOCUMENT THAT THAT GUIDES THE EXPENDITURES AND REVENUES OF THE CITY UNLESS YOU CHOOSE TO AMEND IT.
AND, UH, AND SO IF TOWARDS THE CLOSE OF THE FISCAL YEAR THERE ARE CERTAIN, UH, FUNDS THAT HAVE GOTTEN A LITTLE BIT OUT OF WHACK
AND SO WE BASICALLY MOVE SOME OF THE AUTHORIZATIONS AROUND AREAS THAT WERE UNDER EXPENDED IN A CERTAIN CATEGORY, GET MOVED TO THOSE WHERE DESPITE OUR BEST PLANNING, MAYBE THEY WERE A LITTLE BIT OVER HOW THAT'S DIFFERENT FROM ITEM FIVE, WHICH IS, UH, A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING A CERTAIN INTERFUND TRANSFERS.
IS THAT IN ADDITION TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF BUDGET RECONCILIATION, WE ALSO HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT EACH OF THE CITY CITY'S 47 DIFFERENT FUNDS ENDS IN A, IN A POSITIVE CASH POSITION.
THAT'S A SEPARATE ISSUE FROM WHAT IS AUTHORIZED BY THE BUDGET.
UM, BECAUSE THE BUDGET IS A, IS, YOU KNOW, THIS MUCH IS, THIS MUCH CAN BE SPENT AND YOU CAN'T HAVE MORE THAN THAT IN, IN REVENUES.
BUT BECAUSE OF GRANTS, BECAUSE OF CASHFLOW, BECAUSE OF, OF, UH, OBLIGATIONS AND RECEIVABLES, WHATEVER, THE, IN SOME CASES A PARTICULAR FUND MIGHT BE CASH POOR ON A PARTICULAR, UH, EXCUSE ME, ON THE 31ST OF DECEMBER.
AND SO WE HAVE TO CORRECT THAT WITH THIS INTERFUND TRANSFER AUTHORIZATION.
SO ON THE BUDGET, I WANTED TO POINT OUT, ESSENTIALLY IT IS, AS THE CITY MANAGER HAS SAID, UH, ON THE BUDGET, I WANNA POINT OUT ON THE BUDGET RECONCILIATION, THERE IS ONE ITEM FOR THE WATER CAPITAL FUND.
UH, IN ADDITION TO THE EAST CLARIFIERS, WE WANT TO MOVE 4 MILLION.
UM, BUT ALSO THAT INCLUDES THE PROPERTY
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OF 1.5 MILLION THAT WE, UM, PURCHASED IN NOVEMBER.THAT INCLUDES THAT ITEM AS WELL.
BUT ESSENTIALLY IT'S SEVERAL ITEMS THAT JUST FOR SMALL AMOUNTS, UM, THAT NEED TO BE AUTHORIZED, UH, TO GET ADDITIONAL BUDGET EXPENSE.
AND I ALSO WANNA POINT OUT THAT THE BUDGET IS GOING TO, UH, FOR FUND 10, UH, AND IN A, IN A POSITIVE, UH, UH, POSITIVE AND NOT TAKE FUND BALANCE.
SO I JUST WANNA POINT THAT OUT THAT THIS IS NOT GONNA END, UH, FUND 10, UH, USING FUND BALANCE.
AND, AND, AND BOTH OF THESE ITEMS, BOTH BUDGET RECONCILIATION AND THE RESOLUTION TO, UH, TO ADDRESS THE UNDER FUND TRANSFERS, WERE BOTH ON THE AGENDAS LAST YEAR TOO, AS PART OF THE YEAR, YEAR END CLOSEOUT.
ANY QUESTIONS FROM COUNSEL FOR THE TREASURER OR THE MANAGER? SEE NONE.
[5. Resolution Authorizing the City of Decatur to Provide an Interfund Cash Advance to Certain Funds to Affect a Positive Cash Position as of the Close of Business as of December 31, 2023]
RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE CITY OF DECATUR TO PROVIDE AN INTERFUND CASH ADVANCE TO CERTAIN FUNDS TO AFFECT A POSITIVE CASH POSITION AS OF THE CLOSE OF BUSINESS AS OF DECEMBER 31ST, 2023.MOTION FOR THE RESOLUTION TO PASS AND BE ADOPTED.
MR. WRIGHTON, ANYTHING FURTHER? RUBY, ANYTHING ELSE THAT YOU WANNA ADD? NO, NOTHING.
ANY QUESTIONS FROM COUNSEL? SEEING NONE, COUNCILWOMAN GREGORY AYE.
[6. Resolution Adopting an Intergovernmental Agreement Between the City of Decatur, Illinois and the Illinois State Comptroller Concerning the Local Debt Recovery Program]
SIX RESOLUTION, ADOPTING AN INTERGOVERNMENTAL AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY OF DECATUR, ILLINOIS AND THE ILLINOIS STATE CONTROLLER CONCERNING THE LOCAL DEBT RECOVERY PROGRAM MOTION THAT THE RESOLUTION TO PASS AND BE ADOPTED.MR. WRIGHTON, YOU WANNA COVER THIS? I CAN.
SO THIS IS THE PERSON, AND LUCKY YOU, YOU GET TO DO THAT BEFORE HE SAYS EVERYTHING YOU WERE GONNA SAY.
UM, SO, UH, THIS IS AN INTERGOVERNMENT AGREEMENT WITH, UM, THE COMPTROLLER'S OFFICE.
AND, UH, THIS IS, UH, BASICALLY TRYING TO COLLECT, UH, AMOUNTS AND WE'RE GONNA START WITH, UM, THE PARKING TICKETS AND UTILITY BILLS AND, UH, THEN WORK OUR WAY UP FROM THAT.
BUT ESSENTIALLY IT'S GONNA GO AFTER, UM, LOOKING AT TAX RETURNS, UH, STARTING OUT THERE AND ALSO IT LOOKS AT STATE EMPLOYEE, UH, PAYCHECKS AND THAT, BUT WORKING WITH THE COMPTROLLER'S OFFICE TO COLLECT AMOUNTS THAT WE, UH, HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO COLLECT.
WE DO WORK WITH A COLLECTION AGENCY, AND THIS WILL BE NICE BECAUSE A COLLECTION AGENCY WILL WORK DIRECTLY WITH THE COMPTROLLER SITE TO GO ON FROM THERE AND WORK WITH THEM.
SO HOPEFULLY WE'LL BE ABLE TO BRING IN, UH, MONEY THAT WE'VE BOUGHT NOT BEEN SUCCESSFUL.
THERE IS A MILLION DOLLARS IN PARKING TICKETS AND OVER 700,000 IN UTILITY BILLS, UH, THAT WE'D LIKE TO WORK TOWARDS BRINGING THAT IN.
SO IT'S A PROGRAM THAT, UH, WE'LL BE ABLE TO, UH, HOPEFULLY COLLECT MORE FOR THE CITY ON THOSE MILLION DOLLAR PARKING TICKETS.
IS THAT LIKE A LOT OF, LOT OF PEOPLE OR? IT IS.
IT, IT'S A, IT'S OVER SEVERAL, UM, INDIVIDUALS AND, AND IT ADDS UP OVER TIME BECAUSE I WONDER WHEN YOU HIT THE POINT THAT THEY CAN'T MANAGE PAY MR. KEEL.
SO WHAT IS OUR PROCESS ON PARKING TICKETS? SO BRIEF BRIEFLY, I MEAN, DO YOU PUT A BOOT ON THEIR CAR EVENTUALLY OR EVENTUALLY? SO WE SEND OUT, UM, NOTIFICATIONS, UH, SEVERAL NOTIFICATIONS OVER TIME.
UH, WE SEND THEM INTO COLLECTIONS AND AT SOME POINT WE DO SEND A BOOT.
UH, INTERESTING ENOUGH, UM, SOMETIMES WHEN THERE'S THE COUNTY, I, I WAS CURIOUS TO SEE THAT, UH, I WAS AT THE COUNTY DOING SOME OTHER BUSINESS FOR THE CITY AND SOMEONE HAD A BOOT ON THEIR CAR.
SO WE ACTUALLY EVEN GO SO FAR AS TO TRY AND, AND PAY ATTENTION TO WHEN THEY MIGHT HAVE COUNTY BUSINESS AND, AND TAKE ADVANTAGE OF, UH, WHEN SOMEONE IS, IS AT THE COUNTY TO, UH, COLLECT ON THAT.
SO IF, IF, UH, IT'S NOTICED THAT THEY'RE EVEN AT THE COUNTY BUSINESS, WE'RE ABLE TO, TO LOCATE THEM AND, AND PUT A BOOT ON THEIR CAR AND THEN COLLECT.
SO, UM, IF WE KNOW THEY'RE GONNA BE AT A CERTAIN LOCATION, WE TRY TO FIND THEM.
IN ADDITION TO IMPROVING OUR RECEIVABLES, WHICH RUBY HAS TALKED ABOUT, THIS ITEM ALSO CAME UP AS AN ADJUNCT TO YOUR DISCUSSION, UH, EARLIER THIS YEAR ABOUT THE DEPOSIT THAT WAS, UH, DEPOSIT POLICY THAT WAS ADDED, UM, BECAUSE, UM, YOU AUTHORIZE US TO PROCEED THIS WAY AS A WAY OF PROVIDING YET ONE MORE WAY OF TRYING TO GET ADDITIONAL FUNDS FOR IRRESPONSIBLE AT TENANTS WHO, WHO LEAVE THEIR LANDLORDS WITH LARGE BALANCES.
SO THIS WILL HELP US WITH THAT AS WELL AS THE RECEIVABLES PROBLEM THAT MRS. JAMES MENTIONED.
OTHER QUESTIONS FROM COUNCIL? SAY NONE.
[7. Ordinance Regarding the Illinois Paid Leave for All Workers Act for the City of Decatur, Illinois]
ORDINANCE REGARDING THE ILLINOIS PAID LEAVE FOR ALL WORKERS ACT FOR THE CITY OF DECATUR, ILLINOIS.MOTION THAT THE ORDINANCE TO PASS AND BE ADOPTED.
SECOND, MR. WRIGHTON MAYOR AND COUNSEL.
THE, UM, ILLINOIS GENERAL ASSEMBLY EARLIER THIS YEAR APPROVED THE PAID LEAVE FOR ALL ACT.
UM, AND, UM, WHILE I THINK THAT, UH, THE CITY AND PROBABLY ALL OF YOU WOULD AGREE THAT THERE
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SHOULD, THAT THIS IS A WELL-INTENTIONED LEGISLATION, UH, BECAUSE FULL-TIME EMPLOYEES SHOULD BE GIVEN REASONABLE AMOUNT OF PAID TIME OFF.UM, THERE WERE DEFECTS IN THE LEGISLATION AND, UH, THAT THE ILLINOIS MUNICIPAL LEAGUE TRIED TO CORRECT DURING THE, UM, VETO SESSION, PARTICULARLY WITH REGARD TO PART-TIME AND SEASONAL EMPLOYEES.
WE DON'T HAVE A LOT OF PART-TIME AND SEASONAL EMPLOYEES, BUT WE DO HAVE SOME, THE LEGISLATION EXEMPTED OUT SCHOOL DISTRICTS AND PARK DISTRICTS GOOD FOR THEM.
UH, BUT I DIDN'T EXEMPT OUT, UH, MUNICIPALITIES AND, UH, UH, AND SO, UH, WHAT THE ACTION BEFORE YOU IS TO, UM, UH, RESERVE OF SORTS OUR EXISTING POLICIES AND TO POINT OUT THAT, UH, BECAUSE WE'RE A HOME OR MUNICIPALITY AND BECAUSE THE LEGISLATION DIDN'T EXEMPT HOME RULE THAT WE'RE EXERCISING THAT OPTION.
BUT I WANNA, I WANNA EMPHASIZE THAT WE'RE NOT, WE'RE NOT UNDERMINING THE, THIS, THE LEGISLATIVE INTENT OF THE LAW.
WE THINK WE JUST NEED TO, TO CORRECT FOR THE CITY OF DECATUR, THOSE THINGS THAT THE LEGISLATURE DIDN'T FIX.
UH, THE ILLINOIS MUNICIPAL LEAGUE HIRED, UM, OUTSIDE COUNCIL TO TAKE A LOOK AT THIS AND WHAT OUR OPTIONS WERE AND, UH, WHETHER HOME RULE WOULD GIVE US ANY ADDITIONAL POWER.
UH, THE CONCERN WAS AT A MEETING I WAS AT IN, I GUESS EARLIER THIS MONTH BECAUSE VARIOUS CITIES WERE TRYING TO ADDRESS THIS IN A NUMBER OF WAYS, LIKE CHANGING THEIR EMPLOYEE HANDBOOK, UH, TO PROTECT THE CITY'S INTERESTS.
UM, BUT WE WERE ENCOURAGED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAD AN ORDINANCE OPTING OUT PRIOR TO THE, UH, NEW LAW TAKING EFFECT JANUARY 1ST.
UM, I, I GO BACK TO, WE WERE ONE OF THE FEW COMMUNITIES THAT TOOK ADVANTAGE OF THE PUSH TAX BY ENACTING IT.
UH, WHEN WE DID THERE WERE, MOST COMMUNITIES WERE LEFT OUT.
SO WHILE THAT'S STILL BEING, UM, FOUGHT OUT IN THE COURTS, WE'LL SEE WHERE THIS GOES.
BUT THIS IS, UH, PRETTY MUCH UNITED FRONT ON THE WAY OF THE, UH, UH, ILLINOIS MUNICIPAL LEAGUE.
IT MAY VERY WELL END UP IN COURT, UM, AND WE'LL SEE WHERE IT GOES FROM THERE.
BUT THAT'S, IF ANYBODY HAS ANY QUESTIONS, PAT, UNFORTUNATELY, THE WISDOM OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY, THIS IS GONNA HURT SMALL BUSINESS.
I WAS SPEAKING WITH A SMALL BUSINESS OWNER, UM, SATURDAY AT LUNCH, WHO WAS JUST, UH, IT FEELS DEVASTATED BY THIS BECAUSE HE'S GOT, HE CAN'T DO BUSINESS VERY WELL IF HIS EMPLOYEES ARE GONE AND, UH, AND HE'S GOT A NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES, IT'S GONNA HURT THEM.
SO, BUT THAT'S NOT OUR ISSUE AT THE MOMENT AND NOTHING WE CAN DO ABOUT IT.
SO, NO, BUT I THOUGHT I'D BRING IT UP.
OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM COUNCIL? SEEING NONE, COUNCILWOMAN GREGORY AYE.
[8. Resolution Re-Allocating CDBG-CV Funds and American Rescue Plan Act Funds]
RESOLUTION REALLOCATING CDBG CV FUNDS ON THE AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN ACT FUNDS MOTION THAT THE RESOLUTION DO PASS AND BE ADOPTED.SECOND, MR. RIGHTON, MAYOR COUNCIL, EARLIER THIS YEAR, YOU, UM, AT THE CITY'S CITY STAFF'S RECOMMENDATION APPROVED AN ALLOCATION OF A LITTLE OVER $1 MILLION FOR, UH, FOR THE USE OF WHAT WE CALL CDBG CV FUNDS.
UM, THIS REFERS TO THE RELIEF FUNDS APPROVED BY CONGRESS AND THE PRESIDENT IN THE PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATION.
UM, SO THESE ARE, THESE ARE TRUMP ERA OF FUNDS AND APPROVED BY CONGRESS UNDER THO UNDER THAT SET OF RULES.
UM, HUD HAS CHOSEN NOT TO GO BACK TO CONGRESS TO TRY TO CHANGE THE RULES OR REAUTHORIZED THEM IN SOME WAY.
AND SO BECAUSE OF THAT, WE HAVE TO LIVE BY THE RULES THAT CONGRESS APPROVED IN 2020.
UM, AND THAT HAS CREATED SOME PROBLEMS. YOU GAVE A QUARTER MILLION TO, UH, DOVE FOR RENT AND UTILITY ASSISTANCE, A QUARTER MILLION DOLLARS TO THE OLD KING'S ORCHARD COMMUNITY CENTER FOR A PROJECT THAT YOU SUBSEQUENTLY A SEPARATE AGREEMENT FOR, UH, EARLIER THIS YEAR AS WELL FOR THEIR URBAN AG PROJECT AND A RECREATION PROJECT, A QUARTER MILLION DOLLARS, UH, FOR, UH, THE CATALYST PROJECT ADJOINING, UH, THE, UM, OLD GARFIELD SCHOOL PROJECT, PARTICULARLY WITH REGARD TO THE CARVE UP AND, AND REDO OF THE GARFIELD PARK.
WE HAVEN'T FINALIZED THE AGREEMENT WITH THE PARK DISTRICT ON THAT, BUT I EXPECT TO BRING IT TO YOU IN JANUARY.
AND THE LAST QUARTER MILLION WAS, WAS AUTHORIZED FOR THE ACQUISITION AND REHABILITATION OF THE WE FOLKS BUILDING ON JASPER STREET.
SO WHAT'S HAPPENED SINCE THEN, THAT BRINGS ME TO ASK YOU FOR A, A REDO ON THE ALLOCATION FORMULA, IS THAT NUMBER ONE, THAT DESPITE DOVE'S VERY BEST EFFORTS, THEY HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO DISPERSE THOSE FUNDS.
AND IT'S NOT BECAUSE THERE'S A NEED OUT THERE FOR THEM, IT'S BECAUSE THE REGULATIONS FOR THEIR, FOR THE DIS DISPERSAL OF THOSE FUNDS REQUIRES A DIRECT CONNECTION TO PANDEMIC.
AND THE FURTHER WE GET FROM PANDEMIC, THE HARDER IT IS TO MAKE THAT DEMONSTRATION.
SO I, I APPLAUD, UH, DOVE'S EFFORTS IN THIS REGARD, BUT THEY HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO, TO ALLOCATE REALLY ANY OF THE FUNDS.
AND SO WE HAVE TO REALLOCATE THEM AGAIN IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF HUD UNDER, UNDER THE, THE 2020 RULES.
THE OTHER THING THAT'S HAPPENED, UH, EVERYTHING'S STILL ON TRACK FOR THE GARFIELD PROJECT, STILL ON TRACK FOR THE OKO PROJECT
[00:25:01]
AS YOU HAVE, UM, GREEN-LIGHTED THEM.BUT ON THE WE FOLKS PROJECT, UM, IT HASN'T BEEN THE WAY EXACT WORKED OUT EXACTLY THE WAY WE WANTED IT TO.
THE, UM, UH, THE STATE HAS MORE RIGOROUS REQUIREMENTS EVEN ON A BUILDING THAT HAD BEEN CLOSED FOR A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME WHEN WAS OPERATED AS A DAYCARE FACILITY IN THE PAST.
UM, AND THOSE REQUIREMENTS HAVE TURNED OUT TO BE SOMEWHAT ONEROUS AND SO REHABILITATING THAT THAT FACILITY IS TURNING OUT TO BE MUCH MORE EXPENSIVE THAN WE ORIGINALLY PLANNED.
UM, I NEVERTHELESS BELIEVE THAT, UH, IT'S AN IMPORTANT PROJECT TO DO.
UH, CHILDCARE IS AT THE HEART OF OUR WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT PROBLEMS. PEOPLE, IF PEOPLE CAN'T GET RELIABLE CHILDCARE, THEN THEY'RE TAKING THEMSELVES OUTTA THE WORKFORCE, SADLY.
AND, AND WE NEED TO HAVE MORE PEOPLE IN THE WORKFORCE.
SO THE NEED FOR IT, ESPECIALLY IN THE URBAN CORE, I THINK IS ACUTE.
AND DESPITE THE INCREASE IN COST, THE COST TO BUILD A NEW BUILDING FOR CHILDCARE AT THIS FACILITY WOULD DWARF, UM, THESE PROJECTIONS FOR, FOR, FOR REHABILITATION.
BUT I HAVE TO REPORT, SADLY, THAT, THAT, UH, IT'S COSTING MORE THAN WE THOUGHT IT WAS GOING TO.
AND MY, MY RECOMMENDED SOLUTION COUNSEL, IS THAT THE AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT DOV WASN'T ABLE TO SPEND BE ALLOCATED TO THIS PROJECT, AND THAT AN ADDITIONAL, UH, AMOUNT FROM OUR A RP MONIES BE USED TO GET THIS PROJECT, UH, GOING.
UM, AND THE RESOLUTION THAT'S BEFORE YOU WOULD AUTHORIZE THAT REALLOCATION, MR. WRIGHTON, HOW SURE ARE WE THAT WE'VE HIT THE, I MEAN, THIS, IT IS AN EXORBITANT AMOUNT OF MONEY WAS $750,000 NOW TO REHABILITATE THAT, THAT DAYCARE AND, YOU KNOW, COSTS GENERALLY GO UP ONCE YOU GET INTO CONSTRUCTION.
I JUST HAVE SOME REAL CONCERNS AND HEARTBURN ABOUT THE FACT, FACT THAT, YOU KNOW, WHAT WE THOUGHT WE WERE BUYING IS NOT EVEN ANYWHERE CLOSE TO WHAT WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO PAY.
AND HOW MUCH MORE MIGHT THIS GO UP? ARE WE CONFIDENT IN THESE NUMBERS? UM, THE STAFF HAS, UH, UM, DONE RESEARCH INTO THIS A LITTLE BIT MORE, AND WE HAVE GOTTEN SOME ESTIMATES, UH, FROM LOCAL CONTRACTORS FOR IT.
UM, AS YOU, AS YOU KNOW, FROM ALL THE CONTRACTS THAT YOU APPROVE, UH, THE, THE, THE PROOF IS IN THE FINAL BIDDING.
UH, BUT I DO BELIEVE WE HAVE THAT WE'RE CLOSER TO THE MARK THAN WE'VE EVER BEEN BEFORE.
PAT, DO YOU WANNA TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THIS? UH, UH, MAYOR, COUNSEL, GOOD EVENING.
I, I THINK, UM, IT'S, IT'S HARD TO SAY, UH, WITH UNCERTAINTY, UH, THAT WE WON'T HAVE ANY UNFORESEEN THINGS, BUT WE'VE BEEN THROUGH THE BUILDING WITH OUR FACILITY MANAGER, UH, ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS.
UH, AND HE FEELS LIKE THAT WE ARE CLOSE TO WHAT THE NUMBERS SHOULD COME IN AT FOR THE REHABILITATION OF THE FACILITY.
UH, I WOULD JUST ADD THAT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT'S DRIVING THE COST TOO IS THAT, UM, UH, THE BUILDING WILL REQUIRE PER THE, THE FIRE CODE, UH, FOR THE BUILDING TO BE SPRINKLED, UH, NOW, UH, BECAUSE IT HAS BEEN CLOSED.
UH, AND, UH, IT ALSO IS GONNA REQUIRE HVAC SYSTEM, UM, WHICH, BECAUSE THE BUILDING CLOSED AND, AND IT IS GOING BACK INTO THAT USE.
ONCE THAT HAPPENED, THEN YOU HAVE TO BRING THE BUILDING UP TO THE CODE OF THE FIRE CODE AS WELL AS THE BUILDING CODE.
SO THOSE TWO THINGS ARE DRIVING THE
DIDN'T WE KNOW THAT? WELL, UH, WE DIDN'T KNOW THAT THE FIRE MARSHALS GOING REQUIRE THE BUILDING TO BE SPRINKLED AT THE TIME, RIGHT? BECAUSE IT, THE THOUGHT PROCESS IS THAT IT'S, IT'S THE SAME TYPE OF USE THAT WE'RE USING, UH, BUT WE DON'T GET TO OVERRIDE THE FIRE MARSHAL.
SO THAT'S, THAT'S WHY THIS IS COMING OUT THIS WAY.
WELL, I'M NOT ARGUING THAT WE NEED THE BUILDING TO BE SAFE FOR CHILDREN.
IT'S JUST OUR ESTIMATES WE'RE WILDLY OFF.
NOT, NOT JUST A LITTLE, LIKE, WILDLY OFF.
AND I'VE JUST GOT SOME REAL CONCERNS MAKING SURE THAT THEY'RE NOT GONNA BE EVEN MORE OFF.
AND WE'RE GONNA END UP WITH THIS, YOU KNOW, $2 MILLION BUILDING THAT MAYBE WE WOULD'VE BEEN BETTER OFF BUILDING A NEW BUILDING IF WE WERE GONNA GET IN THE CHILDCARE BUSINESS, WHICH APPARENTLY WE ARE.
UM, OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS, MS. GREGORY? TIMELINE FOR COMPLETION? UM, IF YOU APPROVE THIS TONIGHT, IT GOES TO BE IN JANUARY, SIX MONTHS PROBABLY.
SO WE ANTICIPATE THAT BY FALL WE WOULD, THE BUILDING WOULD BE OPEN FOR CHILDREN.
SO, SO DO WE HAVE ONE MORE SAY IN THIS BUILDING BEFORE IT'S WE ALLOCATE THIS FUNDS? OR IS THIS, IS THIS IT? IF THE, UH, IF THE BIDS ARE COMING BACK TO THE CITY COUNCIL, IF THEY CROSS THAT THRESHOLD, THEN YES.
SO THEN WE HAVE ANOTHER LOOK AT IT.
MR. MCDANIEL, JUST ONE QUESTION ON THE OPERATION, UH, ARE THEY GONNA HAVE STRICT RULES THAT, THAT IT'S NOT GOING TO BECOME A BABYSITTING SERVICE FOR SOMEBODY THAT JUST WANTS TO DROP MY KIDS OFF AND THEN THEY DON'T WORK? HAVE YOU SEEN THE RULES? UH, I DON'T WANNA PROVIDE SERVICE TO PARENTS FOR THEIR KIDS JUST TO HAVE, YOU KNOW, I'M GONNA, I'M GONNA GO OUT AND PLAY TODAY.
I DON'T WANNA, UH, I DON'T WANT MY KIDS.
SO THAT'S A BABYSITTING SERVICE IF I WOULD CHECK THE RULES ON THAT, BECAUSE
[00:30:01]
I DON'T THINK THAT'S WHAT WE'RE, I WANNA HELP PEOPLE, PARENTS THAT WANNA GO OUT AND WORK.BUT THE RESTRICTION, AS THE MAYOR SAID, IS THEY DON'T HAVE A DAYCARE CENTER.
SO, AND WILL WE STILL OWN THE BUILDING OR WHAT? SO THE AGREEMENT HASN'T BEEN PANNED OUT.
COUNCIL HAS GIVEN SCOTT THE AUTHORITY TO, TO DO AN AGREEMENT.
UH, BUT WHAT THE AGREEMENT WILL PROBABLY LOOK LIKE IS THAT WE WILL OWN THE BUILDING FOR SEVEN TO 10 YEARS.
UH, EVEN AFTER THIS, WE'LL HAVE A MORTGAGE ON THE PROPERTY FOR THE AMOUNT THAT WE PUTTING INTO THIS BUILDING.
UH, IF THE OPERATOR FOLDS AND DOESN'T, UH, DOESN'T OPERATE WITHIN THE SEVEN TO 10 YEARS, AND THEN WE GET THE BUILDING BACK OUTRIGHT.
DR. HORN, DID YOU HAVE A QUESTION? OR MR. COOPER? UM, COUNCILMAN MCDANIELS? UM, THE ANSWER YOUR QUESTION IS, IT'S GONNA BE RUN UNDER THE JURISDICTION OF THE DEPARTMENT OF CHILDREN AND FAMILY SERVICES AND ALL THEIR RULES AND REGULATIONS WILL HAVE TO BE ABIDED BY WHICH THERE ARE PLENTY.
SO THERE, THERE WILL BE RULES GOVERNING WHO CAN BE THERE AND WHO CANNOT BE THERE BASED ON IT'S, THEY'VE GOT TO, UH, LIVE UP TO DEPARTMENT OF CHILDREN FAMILY SERVICES REGULATIONS FOR, UH, CHILDCARE LOCATION INDICATOR.
WELL, I APPRECIATE IT, APPRECIATE THAT.
BUT I STILL CONCERNED, I DON'T WANT IT TO BECOME A, A BABYSITTING SERVICE FOR PEOPLE THAT ARE NOT WORKING.
UM, THE OTHER THING I HAVE IS, I GUESS MY CONCERN IS, IS WE ARE SPENDING A LOT OF MONEY TOWARDS WHAT WE INITIALLY THOUGHT WE WERE GONNA BE SPENDING.
UM, HOW CONFIDENT ARE WE THAT IF SAY WE GET IT UP AND OPERATING, THAT IT IS GONNA FUNCTION TO WHAT WE ARE ANTICIPATING IT WAS GONNA FUNCTION AS, UH, OR IS THE OWNERS GONNA BE ABLE TO REALLY MAINTAIN AND OPERATE IT WITHOUT COMING BACK TO THE COUNCIL ASKING FOR ADDITIONAL FUNDS? BECAUSE I THINK THAT WE'RE GETTING, WE'RE GETTING WAY OUT THERE AND, UM, THAT'S MY CONCERN.
OUR, OUR AGREEMENT WITH THE PROSPECTIVE, UH, OWNER OF THE BUSINESS IS THAT THEY'LL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE OPERATION OF THE BUILDING.
AND PART OF THE REASON WHY WE'RE GONNA HANG ONTO IT FOR THE SEVEN TO 10 YEARS THAT, THAT PAT MENTIONED IS TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT OWNER CAN BE A RESPONSIBLE OWNER.
UH, AND OUR COMMITMENT FROM THE BEGINNING WAS, WE'LL JUST GET THIS BUILDING READY FOR YOU.
UH, AND THEN IT'S YOUR RESPONSIBILITY GOING FORWARD FROM THERE.
UM, WHICH ANY BUSINESS, YOU KNOW, SHOULD BE ABLE TO DO.
IT'S, IT'S NOT A FREE SERVICE.
IT, IT'LL BE A, IT'LL BE A FEE FOR SERVICE, UH, DAYCARE FACILITY.
BUT I I REALLY THINK IT'S, IT'S IN A PLACE THAT WE NEED IT.
IT'S RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE URBAN CORE WHERE THE ONLY OTHER URBAN CORE, UM, DAYCARE FACILITIES ARE ONES THAT ARE HEAVILY SUBSIDIZED BY GOVERNMENT OVER, OVER AT EOC AND BABY TALK.
ALL THE OTHERS ARE ON THE, ON THE EDGE IN THE PERIPHERY.
IT'S RIGHT ON THE JASPER STREET CORRIDOR WHERE WE'RE TRYING TO, UH, TRANSFORM THAT, THAT CORRIDOR.
I, I ACKNOWLEDGE THE TRUTH OF WHAT THE MAYOR IS SAYING ABOUT HOW THIS HAS GOTTEN MUCH BIGGER THAN WE THOUGHT IT WAS GONNA BE.
UH, FOR A WHILE, WE THOUGHT THERE WOULD BE SOME GRANDFATHERING PROVIDED BY DCFS, WHICH IS, WHICH IS, HASN'T COME, HASN'T COME TO PASS.
UM, SO I MEAN, IT IS WHAT IT IS.
WE'RE NOT GONNA, YOU KNOW, PUT CHILDREN AT RISK AND THAT, THAT'S THE STATE'S RULING ON IT.
BUT I, I BELIEVE THAT IT IS ABSOLUTELY SPOT ON DESPITE THOSE NUMBER INCREASES WITH YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD REVITALIZATION OBJECTIVES.
BUT SO I'M CLEAR, IN SEVEN TO 10 YEARS, ARE WE JUST HANDING THIS OFF TO A PRIVATE CITIZEN OR ARE THEY BUYING IT FROM US, OR, I MEAN, WE DON'T USUALLY INVEST THIS MUCH MONEY IN OTHER BUSINESSES.
WELL, IN SEVEN TO 10, WELL, THAT, AS IT IS RIGHT NOW, THE, THE THOUGHT PROCESS IN SEVEN TO 10 YEARS, UH, THIS BUSINESS IS STILL FLOURISHING THAT THEY WILL OWN THE BUILDING AFTER SEVEN, 10 YEARS.
BUT WE WOULD BE GIVING IT TO THEM AND THEY'RE NOT BUYING IT FROM US.
IF THEY, IF THEY OPERATE IT SUCCESSFULLY UNDER THE TERMS THAT WE'VE DISCUSSED, UH, THEN YES, WE WOULD TRANSFER THE BUILDING AT THAT TIME FOR THE CONTINUATION OF A CHILDCARE FACILITY IN THE URBAN CORE WITHOUT AN ADDITIONAL PURCHASE PRICE.
DR. HORNE, YOU HAD A QUESTION.
I, I'M SUPPORTIVE OF THIS PROJECT.
UM, THERE IS PRECEDENT FOR THIS PROJECT.
WE PRO PROVIDED ABOUT, UM, $1 MILLION TO REHABILITATE A, UM, UH, BUILDING IN THE JOHNS HILL NEIGHBORHOOD.
AND THAT BUILDING IS GOING TO DOVE FOR TRANSITIONAL HOUSING.
AND NOW WE'RE DOING THE SAME THING WITH CHILDCARE.
THERE IS A CRITICAL NEED IN MACON COUNTY, ILLINOIS, UM, AND DECATUR FOR CHILDCARE SERVICES.
THE LATEST DATA FROM THE US CENSUS BUREAU SAYS THAT THE PERCENTAGE OF FEMALES OVER THE AGE OF 16 IN THE LABOR FORCE IS LESS THAN 53%.
THAT IS CONSIDERABLY LESS THAN THE NATIONAL AVERAGE.
ONE OF THE GREATEST BARRIERS TO, UH, BEING IN THE LABOR FORCE IS CHILDCARE ACCESS.
AND THIS IS PROVIDING CHILDCARE ACCESS IN
[00:35:01]
AN AREA OF THE CITY WITH ONE OF THE HIGHEST RATES OF UNEMPLOYMENT.AND THIS FACILITY, IF, UH, MY UNDERSTANDING IS CORRECT, UM, AT ITS MAXIMUM CAPACITY, WOULD PROVIDE CHILDCARE SERVICES FOR APPROXIMATELY 750 YOUTH.
THE CITY NEEDS TO INVEST IN THIS, AND THIS IS A GOOD INVESTMENT FOR US.
OTHER COMMENTS FROM COUNSEL? MR. KEHL? OKAY, SO, UH, I'M MORE CONFUSED NOW THAN I WAS BEFORE.
SO ARE YOU TELLING ME THIS IS 750,000 AND IT'S GONNA HAPPEN UNLESS IT GOES OVER 750,000, THEN IT'S COMING BACK TO US FOR ANOTHER REVIEW? IS THAT WHAT I'VE HEARD? SO, SO ANY BIDS THAT WE RECEIVE ON THIS PROJECT WILL HAVE TO COME BACK TO COUNCIL FOR APPROVAL.
SO IF IT COMES AT SIX 50, IT'S COMING BACK TO US, IS WHAT YOU'RE SAYING? WELL, WELL, THESE, SO THE ITEMS WILL BE BID OUT SEPARATELY, RIGHT? AND SO THERE WOULD BE A, THERE WILL BE A BID FOR ASBESTOS REMOVED.
THERE WILL BE A BID FOR NEW FLOORING.
THERE WILL BE A BID FOR NEW HVHC.
AND SO THOSE ITEMS WILL COME BACK TO COUNCIL FOR APPROVAL BECAUSE THEY WILL BE OVER THE THRESHOLD, UH, AUTHORIZED TO THE CITY MANAGER.
I, I MEAN, I'M JUST OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD, I FULLY AGREE WITH WHAT COUNCILMAN HORNE JUST SAID ABOUT THE NEED FOR DAYCARE, BUT WE'RE GETTING INTO A BUSINESS.
IF WE'RE BUYING A BUSINESS, WHERE'S THE BUSINESS PLAN THAT SHOULD BE IN FRONT OF US? UH, UH, THERE'S A LOT OF QUESTIONS.
IS IT VIABLE?
AND I APPRECIATE THAT WE GET BIDS BACK ON VARIOUS THINGS AND VARIOUS VENDORS, BUT I DON'T WANT TO DO THIS IN A PIECEMEAL WAY.
I'D LIKE TO SEE THE PROJECT OVERALL AS COUNCILMAN KHL SAID, WITH SOME SORT OF BUSINESS PLAN.
SO WE'VE GOT SOME CON WE'RE PUTTING $750,000 INTO THIS.
I'D LIKE TO BE MORE CONFIDENT IN BUSINESS PLAN AND THE OPERATIONS AND NOT, AND, AND I WHOLEHEARTEDLY AGREE WITH DR. HORNE AS WELL.
UM, WE'VE SEEN THAT THROUGH OUR WORKFORCE STUDIES.
SO THE NEED IS THERE, WE GET THAT, BUT, UM, NEED MORE INFORMATION.
I MEAN, IT'S A NATIONWIDE PROBLEM.
I WOULD LIKE TO SEE IT'S COUNCILMAN COOPER.
I'D LIKE TO SEE THE RULES THAT GOVERN THIS BY THE, UH, THE DEPARTMENT, THE ILLINOIS, BECAUSE AGAIN, UH, I'D LIKE TO SEE IT BEFORE I VOTE ON THIS BECAUSE I'M NOT GONNA PAY THIS MUCH MONEY TO BE A BABYSITTING SERVICE FOR PEOPLE THAT AREN'T WORKING.
AND IF THE RULES SAY THAT THEY HAVE TO, UH, UH, UNDER THE STATE THAT THEY CAN TAKE ANYBODY THAT MAY AFFECT MY VOTE, EVEN THOUGH I KNOW THIS IS AN EXTREMELY IMPORTANT PROJECT.
WE, WE, WE CAN, WE, WE CAN PROVIDE THAT.
UM, THE ITEM THAT'S ON THE FLOOR TONIGHT IS NOT APPROVAL OF ANY BIDS.
UH, UH, IT'S SIMPLY A REALLOCATION.
SO WITH YOUR PERMISSION, IF THE REALLOCATION IS ACCEPTABLE, THEN WE'LL MAKE SURE THAT WE GET THAT TO YOU AS SOON AS POSSIBLE, AND CERTAINLY WELL AHEAD OF WHEN YOU WOULD BE ACTING ON THE BIDS THAT COME BACK AFTER THE COMPETITIVE PROCESS.
MR. KEEL, AND I'LL END THIS ON A LIGHTER NOTE, IF THEY END UP SHORT STAFFED AND WE OWN IT, DON'T CALL US TO WATCH THE KIDS.
ANYTHING FURTHER FROM COUNCIL? SEE NONE.
[9. Resolution Approving Variances and Authorizing a Redevelopment Agreement with Robinson Outdoor Advertising for Off-Premise Sign, Commonly Known as Billboards, Placement]
ITEM NINE, RESOLUTION APPROVING VARIANCES AND AUTHORIZING A REDEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT WITH ROBINSON OUTDOOR ADVERTISING FOR OFF-PREMISE SIGN, COMMONLY KNOWN AS BILLBOARDS PLACEMENT MOTION THAT THE RESOLUTION DO PASS AND BE ADOPTED.THIS ONE'S A LITTLE DIFFERENT TOO, BUT I'M GONNA LET JOHN PRESENT THIS ONE FOR YOU.
GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
UH, THIS ITEM BEFORE YOU TONIGHT IS A RESOLUTION THAT AUTHORIZES VARIANCES FOR TWO PARTICULAR BILLBOARD PLACEMENTS AS WELL AS A REDEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT, UH, WHICH ARTICULATES OUT THE PUBLIC BENEFIT FOR, UH, THOSE BILLBOARDS.
SO, UH, IF YOU CAN ADVANCE THE SLIDE, THERE'S TWO PROPOSED LOCATIONS.
THERE'S ONE OUT ON MOUNT ZION ROAD, UM, AND THIS IS ESSENTIALLY AT THE INTERSECTION OF MARYLAND AND MOUNT ZION ROAD.
UH, YOU CAN SEE MCDONALD'S ON THE, THE RIGHT HAND SIDE OF THE PICTURE.
THIS WOULD BASICALLY GO ON THE CORNER, UH, OF THE PARKING LOT, UH, RIGHT IN FRONT OF JIMMY JOHN'S, UH, WHICH IS THE PROPERTY IS OWNED BY RURAL KINGS.
UH, IT IS A, UH, THESE, UH, ALL OF THESE SIGNS ARE ELECTRONIC MESSAGE BOARDS.
UH, SO THEY'RE NOT THE TRADITIONAL BILLBOARDS.
THEY ARE, UH, THE VINYL, UH, COVERED BILLBOARDS, BUT THESE ARE ELECTRONIC MESSAGE BOARDS.
AND THE REASON THAT THE VARIANCE IS NECESSARY FOR THIS PARTICULAR LOCATION IS, IS THAT THE STATE OF ILLINOIS AND THE, THE CITY OF DECATUR LOOKS AT THE WALMART SIGN AS A BILLBOARD BECAUSE IT DOESN'T SIT ON THE WALMART PROPERTY.
[00:40:01]
MOUNT ZION'S, THE MOUNT ZION WALMART HAS A MULTI-TENANT SIGN, AS MOST SHOPPING CENTERS DO.THAT ONE ACTUALLY SITS AT THE BILLINGSLEY GAS STATION, UH, ON MOUNT ZION.
AND IT'S CONTAINED WITHIN THE 700, UH, FEET, UH, THAT THE CITY HAS AS A SEPARATION REQUIREMENT.
IT'S JUST UNDER, OR EXCUSE ME, IT'S JUST OVER 600 FEET AWAY.
SO ESSENTIALLY THE VARIANCE THAT'S BEING GRANTED HERE FOR THIS PARTICULAR SIGN IS A REDUCTION BY APPROXIMATELY A HUNDRED, UH, A HUNDRED FEET, UH, TO THAT, UH, DISTANCE SEPARATION.
AND SO THAT IS, UH, UH, THE ONE OF 'EM, YOU CAN GO, GO BACK.
SO THIS ONE, AND, AND I APOLOGIZE, I KNOW IT'S HARD TO SEE, UH, IT'S ALSO INCLUDED IN YOUR, IN YOUR PACKET IF THAT'S EASIER TO VIEW.
BUT YOU SEE THE LITTLE TINY GREEN, UH, ALLIGATOR SHAPE, UH, IN THE, UH, NORTHWEST CORNER OF THAT PARKING LOT.
THAT'S ESSENTIALLY WHERE THE SIGN WOULD GO.
QUESTIONS FROM COUNSEL, THE, IF I, SO THIS IS ONE, ONE OF THE LOCATIONS.
THERE IS A SECOND LOCATION, IF YOU CAN ADVANCE THE SLIDE, JIM.
UH, THIS IS THE, THE SECOND LOCATION IS AT THE CORNER OF GRAND AND 48.
UH, THIS IS ESSENTIALLY GOING IN THE VERY SOUTHWEST CORNER OF THE TRIANGLE, UH, THAT IS MADE UP OF OAKLAND 48 AND GRAND AVENUE.
UH, THERE IS A TRIANGLE, A PIECE OF PROPERTY THERE.
IF YOU'LL ADVANCE TO THE NEXT SLIDE, JIM, PLEASE.
UM, AND YOU'LL SEE THAT LITTLE GREEN TRIANGLE IN THE SOUTHWEST CORNER THERE.
UM, THIS, THIS WOULD ALSO REQUIRE A VARIANCE.
UH, IN A SENSE, ONE OF THE VARIANCES THAT'S BEING GRANTED IS WE WOULD BE PERMITTING THIS SIGN TO GO ON PUBLIC PROPERTY, UH, THAT, THAT TRIANGLE HAS, UH, HAS BEEN PRIVATELY OWNED FOR A LONG TIME.
IT USED TO HAVE A LIQUOR STORE.
UH, MOST RECENTLY WHEN THAT WAS DEMOLISHED, THE CITY HAS, UH, PASSIVELY BEEN PAYING ATTENTION AND, AND TRYING TO GET CONTROL OVER THAT PROPERTY.
UH, THE PROPERTY ESSENTIALLY HAD, UH, A PRETTY HIGH PRICE TAG ON IT, UH, FOR PRIVATE PURPOSES.
AND SO UNDER THE REDEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT, UH, IN RETURN FOR, UH, THESE SIGNS, ESSENTIALLY THE CITY WOULD, WOULD GET THE, THE OWNERSHIP OF THIS PIECE OF PROPERTY AS WELL AS A $65,000, UH, TO BE USED TO MINIMIZE THE IMPACT OF, OF THE SIGN, UH, TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
AND SO THAT'S WHAT'S BEING PROPOSED IN THE REDEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT.
THE PLAN COMMISSION DID HEAR, UH, THESE VARIANCES LAST WEEK IN UNANIMOUSLY, UH, RECOMMENDED FOR APPROVAL TO THE CITY COUNCIL.
QUESTIONS FROM COUNCIL ON EITHER SIDE, ARE THESE MR. CULP, BOTH OF YOUR PROPOSED LOCATIONS ARE ON STATE HIGHWAYS.
UM, IS THERE ANY IDOT ISSUES THAT WOULD, UM, CONFLICT WITH WHAT YOU'RE PROPOSING HERE TONIGHT? NO.
THEY HAVE RECEIVED THE IDOT PERMIT ALREADY FOR THE ONE ON MOUNT ZION.
IDOT STANDARD IS ACTUALLY LESS THAN THE CITY STANDARD.
UH, AS WELL AS, UH, IDOT DOES NOT RECOGNIZE SIDES, UH, EXCUSE ME, DOES NOT RECOGNIZE SIGNS ON TWO DIFFERENT SIDES OF THE STREET.
SO IF IT'S FACING EASTBOUND, UH, THEY WOULD CONSIDER A WESTBOUND, UH, TO BE ACCEPTABLE EVEN WITHIN THAT 350 FOOT.
AT THE END OF THE DAY, I WILL SAY THIS, THAT, YOU KNOW, THE CITY, CITY HAS ADOPTED, UH, SIGN CODE AND, AND HAS TRIED TO, UH, REIGN IN, UH, BILLBOARDS, IF I CAN SAY IT THAT WAY.
UH, AND SO I REALIZE THE IRONY OF THIS PROPOSAL, UH, BEFORE YOU TONIGHT.
I DO THINK THAT THERE IS SOME DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THESE TWO PARTICULAR, UH, LOCATIONS AND, AND MANY OTHERS.
UH, ONE BEING THAT, UH, THE CITY'S SIGN, THE CITY'S BILLBOARD, UH, SIGN CODE FAVORS THE ELECTRONIC MESSAGE BOARDS OVER THE VINYL ONES.
UH, AS WELL AS, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE NEGOTIATED IN THAT REDEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT, SOME PUBLIC BENEFIT, UH, THAT, THAT I BELIEVE OFFSETS THE, THE IMPACT OF THESE PARTICULAR SIGNS.
UH, ADDITIONALLY, WHAT I, WHAT I DID NOT MENTION IS, IS THAT THEY HAVE ALSO, UH, PROVIDED IN THE CITY WOULD BE ENTITLED TO ADVERTISE ON ANY OF THESE BILLBOARDS AND POTENTIALLY ON ANY ADDITIONAL ROBINSON OUTDOOR, UH, SIGNAGE AS WELL.
UM, YOU KNOW, AS YOU MAY HAVE SEEN AROUND THE CITY, CURRENTLY, WE'VE PAID TENS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS FOR THE POLICE DEPARTMENT RECRUITMENT STRATEGY.
UH, WE HAVE BEEN PAYING FOR THOSE BILLBOARDS TO LAMAR.
UM, AND SO HAVING A PARTNER LIKE ROBINSON, UH, WILL ALLOW US TO HAVE FREE ADVERTISEMENT FOR THOSE TYPES OF PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENTS AS WELL AS COMMUNITY EVENTS.
FURTHER QUESTIONS FROM COUNSEL? MR. KEEL? OH, GO AHEAD, LISA.
ONE OF THE THINGS THIS COUNCIL HEARS CONSISTENTLY IS THE WAY OUR MAJOR THOROUGH FARES LOOK, THEY ARE NOT ATTRACTIVE.
UM, AND SO I, I DON'T REALLY, UM, I DON'T AGREE WITH THE PUBLIC BENEFIT, UM, THAT COMES FROM THIS.
SO I JUST SO YOU KNOW, I'LL BE VOTING NO, MS. KEE, A COUPLE QUESTIONS.
THE FIRST ONE, WHAT DOES THE $65,000 GO TOWARDS? YOU SAID TO OFFSET PUBLIC
[00:45:01]
BENEFIT OR SOMETHING TO THAT EFFECT? I THINK THAT'S A FANCY WAY OF SAYING THAT, THAT IF WE CITY IS THE OWNER OF THE BALANCE OF THAT TRIANGLE, THEN THAT CAN BE USED TO BEAUTIFY IT, WHETHER IT'S PUBLIC ART OR LANDSCAPING OR SOMETHING ELSE TO MAKE IT LOOK BETTER THAN JUST A PATCH OF GRASS.WELL, MY OTHER QUESTION IS, A LOT OF OWNERS OF LAND THAT HAVE THESE TYPE OF SIGNS GET RENT AND WE OWN THAT LAND.
IS THAT CORRECT? WE WILL OWN IT.
SO THEY HAVE A CONTRACT TO BUY IT, UH, AND THEY WOULD ESSENTIALLY PUT THE BILLBOARD THERE AND THEY WOULD GRANT THEN PROVIDE THAT PROPERTY TO THE CITY, KEEP AN EASEMENT FOR THE BILLBOARD.
DR. HORN, I SEE THE TWO SIGNS AS BEING DIFFERENT IN ONE, ONE SIGN.
THERE'S, THERE'S ALREADY A SIGNIFICANT COMMERCIAL PRESENCE.
THERE'S ALREADY SIGNIFICANT SIGNAGE THAT'S PRESENT.
AND SO I, I DO NOT SEE THAT PARTICULAR SIGN BEING OUT OF PLACE RELATIVE TO THE, THE REMAINDER OF THE AREA.
THE SIGN THAT IS, UM, CURRENTLY THE, THE MAP IS ILLUSTRATING ON THE SCREEN THERE.
I SEE THAT ONE A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENTLY BECAUSE AT THAT INTERSECTION TO THE, TO THE NORTHEAST ARE RESIDENCES.
UM, AND I, I DO WONDER TO WHAT EX WHAT EXTENT THAT WILL IMPACT THOSE RESIDENCES.
UM, LIGHT POLLUTION COMES TO MIND AS, AS ONE EXAMPLE, BECAUSE YOU, AS FAR AS I CAN TELL, 24 HOURS A DAY, THERE'S GOING TO BE, UH, LIGHT EMANATING.
IS IT A DOUBLE-SIDED SIGN? IS IT A ONE-SIDED SIGN? UM, SO TELL ME A LITTLE BIT ABOUT LIGHT POLLUTION AND HOW THAT MIGHT BE OFFSET FOR THAT.
THE NEIGHBORS THAT ARE NEAR THERE.
AND, AND THERE IS A GENTLEMAN HERE FROM ROBINSON WHO CAN PROBABLY ARTICULATE THIS, UH, MUCH BETTER THAN I CAN, BUT I WILL TAKE A STAB AT IT.
AND IF YOU HAVE MORE IN DEPTH QUESTIONS, UH, THEN I WILL INVITE HIM UP HERE.
UH, SO THE, THE NEW ELECTRONIC MESSAGE BOARD SIGNS ARE, UH, PRETTY ADVANCED.
UH, QUITE FRANKLY, THEY ARE, UH, VERY DIFFERENT THAN A LOT OF THE ELECTRONIC MESSAGE BOARDS THAT ARE CURRENTLY AROUND THE CITY OF DECATUR.
UH, THIS, THESE WILL HAVE SELF DIMMING TECHNOLOGIES, AND SO THEY WILL AUTOMATICALLY GET, UH, DIMMER AS THE, AS THE NIGHT GETS DARKER, UH, BECAUSE AT THE END OF THE DAY, THEY DON'T HAVE A, THEIR PURPOSE IS NOT TO PROJECT LIGHT OUTWARD.
THEIR PROJECT IS TO SIMPLY LIGHT THE FACE.
IT IS VERY DIFFERENT THAN THE, THE TRADITIONAL VINYL FACING, UH, VINYL FACE BILLBOARDS, UH, WHICH REQUIRE A, A LIGHT TO BE, UH, PUT OUT IN FRONT OF THE SIGN AND PROJECT LIGHT BACK TO IT.
AND, AND YOU HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT LIGHT PROJECTING, UH, UH, WHERE IT'S NOT DESIRED OR WANTED, UH, THE ELECTRONIC MESSAGE BOARD, UH, THAT THE TECHNOLOGY THAT THEY HAVE NOW GOES TO MINIMIZE EXACTLY WHAT, WHAT I THINK YOU'RE, UH, ALLUDING TO COUNCILMAN HORNE, WHICH IS THE SPILLOVER EFFECT, UH, THAT ADJACENT PROPERTY OWNERS HAVE TO SEE.
AND SO THESE WILL, THESE WILL AUTOMATICALLY DIMM.
UH, THEY'RE ALSO GONNA BE LARGELY STATIC, UH, UH, AND THEY WON'T BE CHANGING AT THE PACE THAT YOU SEE MANY OF THE BILLBOARDS, UH, UH, AROUND THE CITY CHANGING NOW.
UM, THEY'RE, THEY'RE DIFFERENT THAN A, UH, THE SMALLER ELECTRONIC MESSAGE BOARDS THAT YOU MIGHT SEE AT THE DECATUR PUBLIC LIBRARY OR SOME OF THE OTHER SMALLER BUSINESSES IN DECATUR WHERE THEY SIMPLY HAVE A TV, UH, THAT THAT'S PROJECTING, HAVE ANIMATION, THINGS LIKE THAT.
NONE OF THAT IS PERMITTED UNDER OUR, UH, BILLBOARD CODE.
AND SO THE CITY HAS A RELATIVELY RIGID SET OF PARAMETERS ON, ON, UH, NO ANIMATIONS THAT HOW MANY COLORS CAN BE DISPLAYED, HOW FAST THAT CAN, UH, UH, CAN CHANGE THE, THE SIGNAGE, UH, ET CETERA.
AND, AND I THINK MINIMIZES A NUMBER OF THE ADJACENT IMPACTS.
I WILL SAY THAT THE CLOSEST RESIDENCE, UH, TO THIS PARTICULAR PROPERTY IS MOST LIKELY TO THE EAST OF, OF THE PROPERTY.
UH, AND SO NOT, YOU KNOW, TO THE, TO THE NORTH, EXCUSE ME, TO THE NORTHWEST CORNER, THERE IS WALGREENS TO THE SOUTHWEST CORNER IS, IS THE JIFFY LUBE.
TO THE SOUTH SIDE IS THE GAS STATION, UH, AND THE SAVE ALOT GROCERY STORE.
AND THEN ON DIRECTLY TO THE EAST IS THE NEW, UH, THE ICE, UH, ICE PLACE, WHICH ARE ALL COMMERCIAL.
UH, AND THEN, UH, ACROSS THE KITTY CORNER ON THE SOUTH, UH, SOUTHEAST CORNER IS THE, THE GARFIELD, UH, SCHOOL SITE THAT, UH, UH, WAS TALKED ABOUT EARLIER, UH, WITH THE PREVIOUS AGENDA ITEM.
UM, BUT THE CLOSEST RESIDENTIAL IS PRETTY FAR AWAY FROM THE PROPOSED LOCATION.
UH, MR. KEEL, I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO SEPARATE THESE TWO INTO TWO DIFFERENT, UH, AGENDA ITEMS IF WE CAN.
[00:50:05]
I THINK THIS IS A, AN AGREEMENT, SO RATHER THAN TWO SEPARATE ITEMS, UM, I'M NOT FAMILIAR WITH THE NEGOTIATIONS, SO I DON'T KNOW, UM, IF IT'S POSSIBLE TO, UM, AMEND THE REDEVELOPMENT, THE AGREEMENT TO, UH, REMOVE ONE OF THESE AND HOW THAT WOULD CHANGE THE TERMS OF THE CONTRACT.'CAUSE THAT'S REALLY WHAT IT IS, RIGHT? IS THIS A MATTER THAT WE SHOULD TABLE AND COME BACK WITH MORE INFORMATION? IT, UM, THAT, THAT'S SOMETHING TO CONSIDER.
IS IT POSSIBLE TO HAVE THE, THE INDIVIDUAL FROM THE COMPANY TALK ABOUT THE LIGHTING WHILE THEY'RE HERE? IS THAT THAT POSSIBLE? I, I AM, I AM CURIOUS ABOUT THE, THE LIGHTING ISSUE IN A RESI NEAR RESIDENCE.
SO JOHN IS, IS PRETTY MUCH SPOT ON.
SO OUR BILLBOARDS ACTUALLY HAVE THE LIGHT INSIDE OF THEM.
THEY ACTUALLY DIMM, UH, WHEN THE LIGHTING GOES DOWN, LIKE AT NIGHT.
UH, SO THERE'S NO, UH, PROJECTED OUT LIGHTS, LIKE ON YOUR VINYL SIDES.
YOU HAVE LIGHTS SET OUTSIDE AND, AND POINTED UP AND THEY REFLECT OFF THE VINYL.
SO YOU GET A LOT MORE LIGHTING, LIGHTING OFF OF THAT THAN YOU ACTUALLY DO IN OUR BOARDS.
UH, SO THEY'RE, LIKE I SAID, THEY, THEY AUTOMATICALLY DIMM, UH, THEY'RE NON, UH, WHEN, WHEN THEY CHANGE, THEY HAVE TO BE AT THE STATE OF ILLINOIS REQUIRES IT TO BE 10 SECONDS, UH, STATIC ON THERE.
SO WHEN THEY CHANGE, THEY CHANGE AUTOMATICALLY.
THERE'S NO, UH, BUSYNESS ON THERE.
THERE'S NO, IT, IT'S JUST AN AUTOMATIC CHANGE.
UH, A COUPLE THINGS, JOHN DIDN'T MENTION OURS, OUR CONNECTED TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE, AND I KNOW THAT IS A, AN ORDINANCE YOU GUYS HAVE THAT YOU WANT IT CONNECTED TO, UH, THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE.
SO IF THERE IS OUR TORNADO WARNING, ALL THE ADS, SORRY, ALL THE ADS STOP, IT WILL AUTOMATICALLY POST UP THERE FOR WARNINGS FOR ALL THE CITIZENS.
UH, WE ARE, WE DO HAVE TEMPLATES FOR AMBER ALERTS.
SO WE WORK CLOSELY WITH, UH, POLICE DEPARTMENT, SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENTS THAT IF THERE IS AN AMBER ALERT, A MISSING CHILD, A MISSING ADULT, ALL WE NEED TO DO IS GET A PHONE CALL.
DOESN'T MATTER WHAT TIME OF THE DAY, AND WE WILL AUTOMATICALLY PUT THAT UP ON OUR BOARD TO NOTIFY EVERYBODY TO BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR THAT.
UM, WE DID HAVE FIVE INMATES ESCAPE.
UH, IT'S BEEN SEVERAL MONTHS AGO OVER IN MISSOURI WHERE I'M FROM.
WE GOT A HOLD OF THAT CORRECTIONAL FACILITY.
WE PUT IT UP ON ALL OF OUR BOARDS.
OUR BOARDS RANGED FROM IOWA ALL THE WAY DOWN TO KENTUCKY.
WITHIN THE THREE DAYS BEFORE THEY GOT CAUGHT, IT WAS UP ON OUR BOARDS 413,000 TIMES.
UH, SO THERE'S A LOT OF BENEFITS ALSO, LIKE IF YOU GUYS HAVE, UH, UH, MESSAGES THAT THEY'D BE PUT OUT TO THE PUBLIC, BOIL WATER ORDERS, UH, IF YOU'RE HAVING A PARADE, IF YOU'RE HAVING PICNICS, IF YOU'RE HAVING BENEFITS FOR, FOR FALLEN OFFICERS, FOR HURT OFFICERS, UH, YOU NEED TO HIRE FIREMEN, YOU NEED TO HIRE OFFICERS.
THAT ALL GETS PUT UP THERE FOR THE CITY FOR FREE.
WE DON'T CHARGE ANYTHING FOR THAT.
I GO THROUGH THAT INTERSECTION ALL THE TIME.
THERE'S LIGHTS AT THE DIFFERENT BUSINESSES AT NIGHT OVER AT THE, UH, THE GROCERY STORE, AT THEIR, UH, UH, CONVENIENCE STORES BEHIND THAT, UH, WALGREENS.
AND THAT, UM, I THINK THIS, I'M NOT OVERLY CRAZY, BUT ABOUT IT, BUT IT'S A CHANCE FOR US IF WE TAKE, TAKE OVER THE, UH, PROPERTY AFTER THAT, WE CAN BEAUTIFY IT, UH, AND MAKE IT LOOK A LOT BETTER.
NOW, AGAIN, I GREW UP IN DECATUR.
THERE USED TO BE ALL KINDS OF BUSINESSES, VARIETY OF BUSINESSES OVER THE, OVER THE YEARS, UP TILL PROBABLY THE LAST 10 YEARS, SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
SO, BUT THAT GIVES US A CHANCE TO BEAUTIFY THAT.
AND, UH, SO, BUT AGAIN, THERE'S ALL KINDS OF LIGHTS ALL AROUND THERE.
I THINK ONLY THE ICE, EVEN THE ICE LITTLE BUSINESS PROBABLY HAS LIGHTS, AND THAT'S RIGHT NEXT TO THE HOUSES.
I, I BELIEVE THAT OUR BILLBOARD, THE LIGHTS THAT PROJECT OUT AT THAT ACTUALLY DON'T PROJECT OUT, BUT ACTUALLY IN THE BOARD IS GONNA BE LESS THAN THE LIGHTS THAT SURROUND IT FROM THE BUSINESSES, MR. COOP.
AND LOOKING AT, I, I REALLY FEEL THAT THE, THE BENEFITS THAT I THINK THE CITY IS GONNA GET OUT OF THIS IN THE ADVERTISEMENT AND WE ALWAYS TALKING ABOUT WAYS WE NEED TO COMMUNICATE MORE TO OUR PEOPLE, UM, AND GETTING INFORMATION OUT.
I THINK THAT THESE TWO BILLBOARDS WOULD BE A GREAT STEP TOWARDS HELPING OUT US GET INFORMATION OUT.
[00:55:01]
AND I DON'T THINK IT'S GONNA BE THAT MUCH DISRUPTION TO, UH, ANYONE OR CAUSE A PROBLEM.MR. DELBERT, WHO WE DON'T KNOW YOUR LAST NAME, REEN.
IT'S RE UH, SIR, YOU'RE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT.
AND, AND WHAT JOHN EXPLAINED, WE HAVE BILLBOARDS THROUGHOUT ILLINOIS, AND IF YOU GUYS NEED, WE, WE'VE GOT TWO, UH, UP IN ALTON, IF YOU GUYS NEED ADVERTISEMENT TO HIRE POLICE OFFICERS, FIREMEN, ADVERTISEMENTS CAN GO ON OTHER CITIES, BILLBOARDS FOR YOU GUYS, FREE OF CHARGE STILL.
SO THAT'LL MAKE THAT MAYOR HAPPY
MS. GREGORY, DID YOU HAVE A COMMENT? I DO.
I MEAN, ALL OF THIS SOUNDS REALLY NICE, RIGHT? UM, BUT THE SECOND PART, WHICH IS WHY I KINDA AGREE WITH SEPARATING THEM, IS RIGHT IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD WHERE, UM, FOUR OR FIVE MOMS, UH, WERE REALLY UPSET ABOUT THE WASH AND WIND.
UM, AND THEY DON'T WANT THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD COMMERCIALIZED.
AND, UM, QUITE FRANKLY, I THINK A NICE GREEN TRIANGLE WITHOUT A SIGN ON IT IS PRETTY.
UM, AND SO I I, UM, IF WE CAN'T SEPARATE 'EM, I'M A NO.
UM, BUT I JUST WANNA REMIND YOU ABOUT THIS SECOND S UH, SIGN AND WHERE IT'S GONNA BE LOCATED.
AND I REALIZE THAT THERE'S STILL A LOT OF BUSINESSES THERE, BUT TO ME THAT'S NOT A GOOD RATIONALE TO PILE ON AND ADD MORE MR. WRIGHTON MAYOR COUNCIL, I'M NOT, UH, CONFLATING FOR A SECOND, UM, OUTDOOR ADVERTISING LIKE THIS WITH, WITH NEIGHBORHOOD BEAUTIFICATION, BUT I, I, BUT I DO THINK THAT BECAUSE THE SIGN IS PROPOSED TO BE IN THAT EXTREME SOUTHWEST CORNER OF, OF THE TRIANGLE, WHY IT APPEALED TO, TO ME AND AND TO STAFF AS AND TO, TO ADVANCE IT TO YOU IS THAT MAYBE A GREEN TRIANGLE IS, IS PLEASANT ENOUGH, BUT THIS GIVES US CONTROL OVER THAT WE DIDN'T HAVE BEFORE.
IT'S BEEN ON THE MARKET FOR SALE, FOR COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT FOR SOME TIME AND HASN'T SOLD BECAUSE OF ITS PRICE.
NOW WE HAVE THE, THE ABILITY, I MEAN, IF THIS, IF YOU PROCEED WITH THIS, WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO LANDSCAPE IT TO, I I SPOKE WITH THE ARTS COUNCIL EARLIER TODAY ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT THEY, IF, IF THIS WAS APPROVED, IF THEY WOULD PARTICIPATE WITH US IN THINKING ABOUT WAYS TO, TO BEAUTIFY THAT.
BECAUSE I THOUGHT THAT WOULD ADD TO YOUR, YOUR OBJECTIVES FOR NOT JUST A RESIDENTIAL, BUT ALSO COMMERCIAL CORRIDOR, A RE RENOVATION.
IT'S A FAIRLY UNIQUE SITUATION.
WE DON'T HAVE THIS IN, IN A LOT OF DIFFERENT PLACES, BUT I THOUGHT THAT WAS, THAT WAS THE WIN THAT THAT BROUGHT IT, UH, THAT MAKES IT UNIQUE.
OTHER COMMENTS FROM COUNCIL? I'M A NO, UNLESS WE SEPARATE IT.
I, I FEEL EXACTLY HOW, UH, COUNCILWOMAN GREGORY FEELS.
I, I THINK IT LOOKS OUTTA PLACE TO ME LOOKING AT THAT PICTURE.
OTHER COMMENTS? DR. HORN? YOU LOOK LIKE YOU'VE GOT OTHER COMMENTS.
UM, I, I WOULD SAY I CURRENTLY AM UNDECIDED ABOUT THIS, UH, PARTICULAR SIGN.
UM, AND I THINK THERE'S EXCELLENT ARGUMENTS ON BOTH POINTS, RIGHT? I MEAN, IT'S PRIVATE PROPERTY NOW.
UH, SOMEONE COULD DEVELOP IT INTO SOME ENTITY THAT PERHAPS PEOPLE WOULD FIND OBJECTIONABLE RIGHT NOW.
AND, UM, UH, SO WE'RE CONSIDERING, UM, A SITUATION WHERE WE'RE GOING TO GET A BILLBOARD THAT'S GONNA ADVERTISE, BUT IT IS ALSO GOING TO PROVIDE THE PUBLIC WITH INFORMATION THAT'S NEEDED AND PROVIDE THE CITY WITH $65,000 THAT THEY COULD USE TO, AMONG OTHER THINGS, THE LANDSCAPE THAT TRIANGLE INTO SOMETHING THAT'S BEAUTIFUL, BUT ALSO LANDSCAPE, UM, OTHER AREAS WITHIN THOSE NEIGHBORHOODS THAT ARE DISTRESSED THAT MAY ENHANCE THE CORE OF THOSE NEIGHBORHOODS.
AND I, I THINK THERE'S SOME BENEFITS TO THAT.
AND I'D ALSO SAY THAT THREE QUARTERS OF THAT IS HIGHLY COMMERCIALIZED RIGHT NOW.
AND YES, THERE'S A LITTLE ICE SHOP THERE BEFORE GETTING TO ANY RESIDENCES.
SO I, I PERSONALLY THINK OF THAT INTERSECTION AS HIGHLY COMMERCIALIZED RIGHT NOW.
UM, I MEAN, THE ONLY HESITATION FOR ME WOULD BE THAT THERE IS A LITTLE, SOME HOUSING, SOME DISTANCE AWAY, UM, IN THE, UM, IN, IN THE, UM, UH, FARTHER CORNERS THERE.
BUT AS IS POINTED OUT, THE SIGN IS GOING TO BE CLOSEST TO THE ROAD AND CLOSEST TO THE COMMERCIAL AREAS.
SO IT'S, IT'S PLACED IN THE APPROPRIATE PLACE IN THE TRIANGLE.
[01:00:01]
SO FOR, UM, I, I DO WONDER ABOUT THE MOTION TO TABLE TILL THE FIRST MEETING IN JANUARY, WHETHER THAT WOULD, UM, ALLOW US TO KIND OF OVERCOME THESE HURDLES.PERHAPS IT WOULD, PERHAPS IT WOULDN'T.
UM, AT LEAST, UM, AMENABLE TO THAT.
I, I DON'T THINK THERE'S A MOTION TO TABLE.
I THINK THERE'S A MOTION TO SEPARATE, WHICH WE'RE NOT SURE IF WE CAN DO.
UM, SO IF, SHOULD WE REMOVE THAT MOTION? UM, I CAN REMOVE THE MOTION, BUT I MAKE A MOTION TO TABLE THEN.
UM, IT SEEMS TO ME THAT SINCE WE'RE NOT CERTAIN RIGHT NOW, IF THEY CAN BE SEPARATED, THAT IF ALL PARTIES ARE ACCEPTABLE TO THE IDEA OF DISCUSSING THIS SOME MORE AND TABLING IT TILL JANUARY, THAT MIGHT BE THE MORE APPROPRIATE MOTION.
UM, THEN WE CAN FIGURE OUT IF IT CAN BE TABLED AND IF WE CAN, WE CAN BRING IT BACK.
IF IT CAN BE SEPARATED, IF WE CAN, WE CAN BRING IT BACK THAT WAY.
AND IF NOT, THEN WE'LL BRING IT BACK TOGETHER FOR YOU TO MAKE FINAL DISPOSITION.
IS THAT ACCEPTABLE TO YOU? WE, WE, IT'S, I DON'T KNOW WHOSE DECISION THAT IS.
I THINK IT WOULD BE THE CITY'S DECISION IF THEY WOULD WANT TO OR NOT.
THERE'S, THERE'S NO INSTRUMENT THAT IT CAN BE SEPARATED TONIGHT.
UH, THE ITEM AS PRESENTED TONIGHT IS PRESENTED AS ONE REDEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT.
THE PUBLIC IS ENTITLED TO HAVE SOME ORDINANCE THAT WOULD DRAFT GRANTING THESE ORDINANCE, IF THAT'S WHAT THE COUN COUNCIL WANTS TO DO.
FOR AN EXAMPLE ON THE MOUNT ZION, UH, LOCATION THAT, BY THE WAY, THAT'S INDICATOR, JUST SO YOU KNOW.
MOUNT ZION, MOUNT ZION ROAD LOCATION.
UH, THAT, BUT, BUT THAT CAN'T BE DONE TONIGHT.
UH, IT WOULD NEED TO BE TABLED AND THEN BROUGHT BACK IN IN ORDER TO SEPARATE THE TWO OF 'EM.
AND THEN ONE FINAL CONFIRMATION.
THE PLAN COMMISSION VOTED UNANIMOUSLY FOR THIS, CORRECT? YES.
AND I DO APPRECIATE THE, THE HAVING THE CONTROL OVER THE CORNER AND WHAT HAPPENS ON THAT LOT.
SO WE UH, UM, MADAM CLERK, ARE WE, UM, IF MR. KUHL HAS REMOVED HIS MOTION, DO WE HAVE TO DO ANY ACTION ON THAT? AND THEN HE'S MADE A MOTION TO TABLE.
'CAUSE WE HAD A MOTION AND A SECOND TO SEPARATE IT, THEN WE FIGURED OUT WE CAN'T REALLY DO THAT.
DOES THE, TO TAKE AN ACTION ON THAT, DOES THE SECOND CONCUR TO ITS WITHDRAWAL? I THINK THAT'S MS. GREGORY? YES.
AND YOU HAVE A MOTION TO TABLE? WE NEED A SECOND.
COUNCILWOMAN GREGORY I ON THE TABLE? COUNCILMAN HORNE? AYE.
AND WE WILL GET THAT INFORMATION ON THE NEXT AGENDA.
[10. Resolution Accepting the Proposal from CivicPlus for a New Website and Communication Platform]
10 RESOLUTION, ACCEPTING THE PROPOSAL FROM CIVIC PLUS FOR A NEW WEBSITE AND COMMUNICATION PLATFORM.MOTION TO RESOLUTION TO PASS AND BE ADOPTED.
SECOND, MR. WRIGHTON OR MR. SETH? GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COUNSEL, UH, TONIGHT.
THIS ITEM BEFORE YOU TONIGHT IS A RESOLUTION ACCEPTING A PROPOSAL FROM CIVIC PLUS FOR A NEW WEBSITE COMMUNICATION PLATFORM.
THIS HAS BEEN SOMETHING THAT HAS BEEN A PRIORITY FROM THE CITY COUNCIL, UH, FOR A COUPLE OF YEARS.
IT WAS INCLUDED IN LAST YEAR'S BUDGET, UH, OR EXCUSE ME, IN THE CURRENT YEAR'S BUDGET AS WELL AS NEXT YEAR'S BUDGET.
UM, AND STAFF HAS EVALUATED A NUMBER OF THE, UH, WEBSITE COMMUNICATION PLATFORM PROVIDERS.
UH, WE BELIEVE THAT CIVIC PLUS IS THE RIGHT ONE, UH, FOR WHAT THE CITY HAS, UH, OR EXCUSE ME, WHAT THE CITY NEEDS.
UH, IT IS ALSO A VENDOR THAT WE HAVE STARTED TO MOVE SOME OF THE OTHER PRODUCTS, UH, THAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE TO.
UH, AND SO THIS WOULD ALLOW US TO CONSOLIDATE, UH, SOME OF THE VARIOUS COMMUNICATION TOOLS AND PLATFORMS THAT WE'RE USING NOW UNDER ONE UMBRELLA, ONE VENDOR, UH, FOR SIMPLICITY OF, OF EASE, AS WELL AS INTEGRATION BETWEEN THOSE VARIOUS COMMUNICATION TOOLS.
UH, THIS IS, UH, MUCH CHEAPER THAN WHAT THE CI EXCUSE MUCH CHEAPER THAN WHAT THE CITY HAD ORIGINALLY BUDGETED FOR.
UH, AND SO WE WERE ABLE TO LOWER THE BUDGET FOR THE 2024 BUDGET, UH, BECAUSE IT DID COME IN, UH, LESS THAN WHAT WE WERE ANTICIPATING.
IT ALSO PROVIDES, UH, CAPABILITIES OF DOING, UH, NEWSLETTERS AND OTHER THINGS THAT THE CITY HAS TALKED ABOUT DOING, UH, ALL WRAPPED UP INSIDE OF THE, THE WEBSITE, UM, INCLUDING, UH, SUCH THINGS AS, UH, A PERSON WOULD INDICATE THAT THEY'RE INTERESTED IN ROAD CLOSURES, FOR EXAMPLE.
IT WOULD AUTOMATICALLY NOTIFY 'EM, STREAMLINE SOME OF THE NOTIFICATION, UH, THAT CURRENTLY ARE DONE MANUALLY, THEREFORE, ELIMINATING THE NEED FOR ADDITIONAL TOOLS SUCH AS CONSTANT CONTACT, ET CETERA.
UM, IT WOULD ALSO BRING OUR WEBSITE INTO A DA COMPLIANCE.
UH, WE KNOW THAT OUR, OUR CURRENT WEBSITE, UH, ALTHOUGH IT IS, IS STILL RELATIVELY, UH, UH, ATTRACTIVE AND, AND ROBUST,
[01:05:01]
AND IT HAS BEEN KEPT UP TO DATE.IT DOES LACK A DA COMPLIANCE AND, AND IT HAS HAD SOME RELIABILITY ISSUES, UH, THAT WE BELIEVE WILL BE ELIMINATED WITH THE SWITCH TO CIVIC PLUS.
ANY QUESTIONS FOR MR. KIN? SAID? NOPE.
MR. COOPER, WHAT'S THE TIMEFRAME? IF WE VOTE YES, I THINK BEST CASE SCENARIO, THREE MONTHS, A MORE REALISTIC WOULD BE FIVE TO SIX MONTHS.
[11. Resolution Authorizing a Professional Engineering Services Agreement with Clark Dietz Inc. to Provide Final Design Services for the Brush College Road Lift Station and Forcemain, City Project 2020-06]
11 RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING A PROFESSIONAL ENGINEERING SERVICES AGREEMENT WITH CLARK DEETS INC.TO PROVIDE FINAL DESIGN SERVICES FOR THE BRUSH COLLEGE ROAD, LIFT STATION AND FOREST MAINE CITY PROJECT 2020 DASH OH SIX.
MOTION THAT THE RESOLUTION DO PASS AND BE ADOPTED.
SECOND, MR. WRIGHTON, MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
A COUPLE YEARS AGO WHEN WE, UM, WERE FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO LAND THE INOVA FEED PROJECT, THE FIRST, UH, ONE OF ITS KIND IN NORTH AMERICA, UM, WE REALIZED, UH, ALREADY KNEW THAT THAT PARTICULAR SECTION OF THE NORTHEAST QUADRANT DID NOT HAVE SEWER.
AND SO WE PLEDGED AS A PART OF THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PACKAGE TO INOVA FEED, TO PROVIDE A LIFT STATION AND A FORCE MAIN SO THAT THEIR DISCHARGE COULD BE, UM, UH, COULD BE TRANSPORTED TO OTHER PARTS OF THE COLLECTION SYSTEM.
SINCE THAT TIME, WE'VE BEEN FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO LAND SEVERAL OTHER BUSINESSES WHO ALSO NEED SEWER AND WATER, BUT THIS IS ABOUT SEWER.
THE, UM, THE, THE POWER PLANT, THE LG CHEM FACILITY, AND, UH, OTHERS THAT ARE COMING DOWN THE ROAD.
AS YOU CAN SEE BY THE MAP THAT, UH, IS UP ON THE VIDEO DISPLAY SCREEN.
THERE'S, THERE'S WHOLE SECTIONS OF THE, OF THE NORTHEAST QUADRANT THAT ARE NOT SERVICED FOR SANITARY SEWER.
AND SO WHAT WE'RE ASKING HERE IS TO, UM, TO BEGIN THE, UH, ENGINEERING PROCESS.
UH, WE, WE MAY BE REQUIRED TO HAVE SEWER FOR THESE NEW BUSINESSES AS EARLY AS 2026.
THAT SEEMS LIKE IT'S A LONG WAYS AWAY, BUT IT'S NOT WHEN, WHEN WE'RE BUILDING FORCE VEINS AND, AND LIFT STATIONS.
AND, UH, SO WE WOULD LIKE TO BEGIN THAT ENGINEERING PROCESS, EVEN THOUGH WE UNDERSTAND THAT SOME OF THE VARIABLES ARE STILL NOT ENTIRELY NA NAILED DOWN AS TO EXACTLY WHAT THE, WHAT THE FLOWS AND LOADINGS MIGHT BE EXACTLY WHAT, UM, CONTRIBUTING BUSINESSES WOULD PAY IN, IN SPECIALIZED IN CUSTOMIZED CAPITAL CHARGES TO DEFRAY OUR CAPITAL EXPENSE AND SOME OTHER VARIABLES.
ALTHOUGH WE HAVE DONE ENOUGH WORK TO DETERMINE, UH, PRIMARY AND ALTERNATE ROUTES, WHICH ARE ILLUSTRATED ON THIS MAP.
AND SO THIS PROPOSED ENGINEERING AGREEMENT WITH CLARK DIETZ MOVES US IN THAT DIRECTION.
WE ALSO DIS WE DISCUSSED THIS, UM, GENERALLY AS WELL AT THIS, AT THE STUDY SESSION WE HAD DOWN AT THE WATER TREATMENT PLANT IN SEPTEMBER, WHERE WE TALKED ABOUT, UH, PLANNING FOR WATER AND SEWER TO SERVICE THE GROWING, UH, INDUSTRIAL NEEDS HERE IN THE NORTHEAST QUADRANT.
QUESTIONS FOR THE MANAGER FROM COUNCIL? SEE NONE.
[12. Ordinance Amending City Code Chapter 56 Refuse and Recyclables Removal]
ORDINANCE AMENDING CITY CODE CHAPTER 56, REFUSE AND RECYCLABLES REMOVAL MOTION AT THE OR ORDINANCE TO PASS AND BE ADOPTED.SECOND, MR. WRIGHT HEARING COUNSEL, I'M, I'M, UH, EMBARRASSED TO ADMIT THAT, UH, THE DOCUMENT THAT WE BROUGHT TO YOU ON DECEMBER FOUR, UM, HAD, UH, THE WRONG DATES IN IT, UH, FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE, UH, UH, THE RATE HIKE.
IT, IT WASN'T BECAUSE WE PUT THE WRONG ONES IN.
IT'S BECAUSE THE WHOLE PROCESS OF NEGOTIATING THIS WITH THE HAULERS JUST TOOK A LOT LONGER THAN WE HAD PLANNED.
IT WAS MENTIONED BY ONE OF THE SPEAKERS DURING THE APPEARANCE OF CITIZEN SECTION THAT, THAT IT SAID SEPTEMBER.
THAT, THAT THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT IT WAS INTENDED TO BE, THAT IT WAS A A DONE DEAL OR SOMETHING IN ADVANCE.
IT JUST MEANT THAT WE THOUGHT WE WOULD'VE HAD ALL THIS, UH, WORK DONE, THE NEGOTIATIONS DONE, THE PUBLIC HEARINGS DONE IN, IN TIME FOR IT TO GO INTO EFFECT IN SEPTEMBER WITHOUT ANY KIND OF RETROACTIVITY.
WE DO, WE WE DON'T WANT ANY RETROACTIVITY.
AND I'VE COMMUNICATED THIS SAME TO THE, TO THE HAULERS.
AND SO TO, TO CLARIFY THAT THE ONLY CORRECTION THAT I'M ASKING YOU TO MAKE THIS EVENING IS TO AMEND THE APPENDIX WHEREBY THE, THE RATE GOES INTO EFFECT ON JANUARY ONE, THE FIRST ONE, WHICH WAS, UH, WHICH WAS, UH, WHAT WAS COMMUNICATED DURING THE HEARING ANYWAY, UH, DESPITE OUR MISSING THAT IN THE APPENDIX.
AND THEN INSTEAD OF JULY EFFECTIVE DATES, WHICH IS WHAT IT HAS BEEN FOR YEARS, IS THAT IN THE PAST, THESE, THESE RATES WENT UP IN JULY.
SO NOW THEY'LL, IT'LL BE EVERY YEAR IN JANUARY 1ST EVERY YEAR THROUGH JANUARY 1ST, 2027, AFTER WHICH YOU CAN DECIDE AGAIN.
UM, WHAT OTHER CHANGES TO MAKE TO CHAPTER 56 QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM COUNCIL? SCENE? NONE.
[01:10:01]
NO NAYS.[13. Ordinance Amending City Code Chapter 26 Heating, Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Contractors]
13, ORDINANCE AMENDING CITY CODE CHAPTER 26, HEATING, AIR CONDITIONING AND REFRIGERATION CONTRACTORS.MOST OF THE ORDINANCE DO PASS AND BE ADOPTED.
COUNSEL, THIS ITEM IS REALLY A COMPANION WITH THE FIVE THAT FOLLOW IT.
UH, ITEMS 13, 14, 15, 16, 17 AND 18, IF I CAN SPEAK TO THEM GENERALLY.
UM, EARLIER THIS YEAR, THE ILLINOIS GENERAL ASSEMBLY PASSED A LAW THAT SAYS THAT FOR CITIES LIKE DECATUR THAT ADOPT CODES LIKE THE BUILDING CODE OR THE ELECTRICAL CODE OR THE HVAC CODE BY REFERENCE ME, MEANING A MODEL CODE PUT TOGETHER BY, UH, PROFESSIONALS ELSEWHERE THAT IS WIDELY USED, UH, THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY AND WE SIMPLY ADOPT IT BY REFERENCE EXCEPT WHERE WE MIGHT MAKE EXCEPTIONS TO THE CODE.
WHERE CITIES ARE DOING THAT, WHICH IS MOST CITIES IN ILLINOIS, THEY HAVE TO ADOPT A CODE BY REFERENCE THAT IS NO MORE THAN SIX YEARS OLD.
UH, SOME OF OUR CODES ARE DATING, UH, TO, TO 2015.
AND SO THIS MANDATE SAYS WE HAVE TO UPDATE THOSE.
WE HAVE UNTIL JANUARY 1ST, 2025.
SO WE STILL HAVE ONE YEAR TO ACTUALLY MAKE THE CHANGE, BUT I'M RECOMMENDING THAT WE MAKE THE CHANGE NOW, UM, BECAUSE OF THE CYCLE OF SOME OF THESE CODES AND BECAUSE THERE'S ALSO AN INSURANCE IMPLICATION FOR, UH, POLICIES ISSUED BEGINNING IN JANUARY OF 2024 FOR OUR CITIZENS.
UM, IT'S NOT BOTHERED ME AS A CITY MANAGER IN THE PAST TO NOT KEEP THE MOST RECENT VERSION OF OUR CODES.
UH, THEY USUALLY COME OUT EVERY THREE YEARS BECAUSE IN SOME CASES THE MOST RECENT VERSION IS ALSO THE MOST EXPENSIVE VERSION.
AND, UH, GIVEN OUR COMMITMENT TO NEIGHBORHOOD REVITALIZATION AND OUR DESIRE TO KEEP, UH, THOSE REHABILITATION COSTS AFFORDABLE, WE DIDN'T WANT TO COMPOUND THE ISSUE OF AFFORDABILITY BY MAKING IT HARDER FOR THOSE REHABILITATIONS TO BE DONE IN A COST EFFECTIVE MANNER.
BUT THAT WAS SORT OF TAKEN AWAY FROM US AS AN OPTION BY THE ILLINOIS GENERAL ASSEMBLY.
AND SO OUR STAFF HAS GONE THROUGH EACH OF THESE SIX CODES THAT WE REFER TO BY REFERENCE AND, AND BRING INTO THE CITY CODE BY REFERENCE AS IF THEY WERE FULLY SET FORTH IN THE ORDINANCE BOOK.
UM, AND RATHER THAN GIVE YOU EVERY LITTLE SMALL CHANGE, MANY WHICH ARE FINE AND, AND, AND ARE UPGRADES TO THE CODE, THE PACKET MATERIAL INCLUDES A LIST OF WHAT THE STAFF FELT WERE THE SUBSTANTIVE CHANGES, THE MOST SIGNIFICANT CHANGES, SO THAT YOU CAN SEE THOSE.
UM, OUR BUILDING INSPECTION SUPERVISOR IS HERE THIS EVENING IF YOU HAVE SOME QUESTIONS ABOUT THEM, BUT ALL SIX OF THOSE ITEMS ARE JUST DIFFERENT CATEGORIES OF BUILDING AND OF BUILDING CODES WHERE THE SAME THING IS GOING ON.
WE'RE UPDATING THEM TO A NEW, UM, TO A NEW MODEL CODE.
REFERENCE QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM COUNCIL? SEEING NONE.
[14. Ordinance Amending City Code Chapter 44 Fire Prevention and Hazardous Materials Control]
ORDINANCE AMENDING CITY CODE CHAPTER 44.FIRE PREVENTION AND HAZARDOUS MATERIALS CONTROL MOTION THAT THE ORDINANCE TO PASS AND BE ADOPTED.
MR. WRIGHTON, ANYTHING TO ADD? NO.
ANY QUESTIONS FROM COUNCIL? SEEING NONE, COUNCILWOMAN GREGORY AYE.
[15. Ordinance Amending City Code Chapter 67 Building Code]
ORDINANCE AMENDING CITY CODE CHAPTER 67 BUILDING CODE MOTION THAT THE ORDINANCE TO PASS AND BE ADOPTED.[16. Ordinance Amending City Code Chapter 67.2 Residential Building Code]
ITEM 16 ORDINANCE AMENDING CITY CODE CHAPTER 67.2 RESIDENTIAL BUILDING CODE MOTION THAT THE ORDINANCE DO PASS AND BE ADOPTED.ANY QUESTIONS? SEEING NONE, COUNCILMAN GREGORY? AYE.
[17. Ordinance Amending City Code Chapter 68 Mechanical Code]
17.ORDINANCE AMENDING CITY CODE CHAPTER 68 MECHANICAL CODE MOTION THAT THE ORDINANCE TO PASS AND BE ADOPTED.
SEEING NONE, COUNCILWOMAN GREGORY AYE.
[18. Ordinance Amending City Code Chapter 70 Property Maintenance Code]
18 ORDINANCE AMENDING CITY CODE CHAPTER 70, PROPERTY MAINTENANCE CODE MOTION THAT THE ORDINANCE DO PASS AND BE ADOPTED.[19. Consent Calendar: Items on the Consent Agenda/Calendar are matters requiring City Council approval or acceptance, but which are routine and recurring in nature, are not controversial, are matters of limited discretion, and about which little or no discussion is anticipated. However, staff’s assessment of what should be included on the Consent Agenda/Calendar can be in error. For this reason, any Consent Agenda/Calendar item can be removed from the Consent Agenda/Calendar by any member of the governing body, for any reason, without the need for concurrence by any other governing body member. Items removed from the Consent Agenda/Calendar will be discussed and voted on separately from the remainder of the Consent Agenda/Calendar.]
DOES ANYONE ON COUNCIL HAVE ANY ITEM THEY WOULD LIKE REMOVED FROM THE CONSENT CALENDAR? C NONE ITEM A ORDINANCE ANNEXING TERRITORY 30 43 TEMPE DRIVE, ITEM B RESOLUTION, RESCINDING RESOLUTION NUMBER R 20 23 1 0 3 ACCEPTING THE SOURCE WEALTH BID TO KEY EQUIPMENT AND SUPPLY CODE FOR THE[01:15:01]
PURCHASE OF 1 20 23.ELGIN PELICAN STREET SWEEPER ITEM C RESOLUTION A WARNING, A CONTRACT IN THE AMOUNT OF $252,820 BROWN EQUIPMENT COMPANY FOR 1 20 23 GLOBAL MODEL M THREE STREET, STREET SWEEPER ITEM D ORDINANCE EVADING THE PROPERTY TAX LEVY FOR THE CITY OF DECATUR, ILLINOIS FOR GENERAL OBLIGATION 2010 SERIES C BONDS ITEM E OR ORDINANCE EVADING THE PROPERTY TAX LEVY FOR THE CITY OF DECATUR, ILLINOIS FOR GENERAL OBLIGATION 2012 SERIES BONDS.
ITEM F AND AN ORDINANCE EVADING THE PROPERTY TAX LEVY FOR THE CITY OF DECATUR, ILLINOIS FOR GENERAL OBLIGATION 2013 SERIES BONDS.
ITEM G, AN ORDINANCE EVADING THE PROPERTY TAX LEVY FOR THE CITY OF DECATUR, ILLINOIS FOR GENERAL OBLIGATION 2014 SERIES BONDS.
ITEM H AND ORDINANCE EVADING THE PROPERTY TAX LEVY FOR THE CITY OF DECATUR, ILLINOIS.
AND GENERAL OBLIGATION 2015 SERIES BONDS.
ITEM I AND ORDINANCE EVADING THE PROPERTY TAX LEVY FOR THE CITY OF DECATUR, ILLINOIS FOR GENERAL OBLIGATION 2016 SERIES BONDS.
ITEM J AND ORDINANCE EVADING THE PROPERTY TAX LEVY FOR THE CITY OF DECATUR, ILLINOIS FOR GENERAL OBLIGATION 2017 SERIES BONDS.
ITEM K AND ORDINANCE EVADING THE PROPERTY TAX LEVY FOR THE CITY OF DECATUR, ILLINOIS FOR GENERAL OBLIGATION 2018 SERIES BONDS.
ITEM L AND ORDINANCE EVADING THE PROPERTY TAX LEVY FOR THE CITY OF DECATUR, ILLINOIS FOR GENERAL OBLIGATION 2019 SERIES BONDS.
ITEM M AND ORDINANCE EVADING THE PROPERTY TAX LEVY FOR THE CITY OF DECATUR, ILLINOIS FOR GENERAL OBLIGATION 2019 SERIES B BONDS ITEM N AND ORDINANCE EVADING THE PROPERTY TAX LEVY FOR THE CITY OF DECATUR, ILLINOIS FOR GENERAL OBLIGATION 2020 SERIES BONDS.
ITEM O AND ORDINANCE EVADING THE PROPERTY TAX LEVY FOR THE CITY OF DECATUR, ILLINOIS FOR GENERAL OBLIGATION 2022 SERIES BONDS ITEM P RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING A MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING AGREEMENT AND ASSOCIATED SALES ORDER WITH THINK, THINK WELL MAKERSPACE INNOVATIONS NFP TO OBTAIN INTERNET ACCESS THROUGH THE CITY OF DECATUR FIBER NETWORK AND ITEM Q RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING CONSULTING SERVICES AGREEMENT AND L SCHNEIDER AND ASSOCIATES LLCI NEED A MOTION TO APPROVE THE ITEMS AS PRESENTED.
SECOND COUNCILWOMAN GREGORY AYE.
[VI. Other Business]
COUNCIL HAVE OTHER BUSINESS TO BRING BEFORE THE BODY TONIGHT OR THE MANAGER, MAYOR AND COUNCIL? UH, BEFORE THE MEETING THE CITY CLERK, I GAVE YOU COPIES OF THE ADOPTED BUDGET.IT HAS THE TRANSMITTAL MEMO, WHICH I HOPE WILL, WILL, WILL SET THE CONTEXT THAT YOU HAD INTENDED IN IN THE BUDGET, UH, MEET MEETINGS, UH, IT'LL ALSO BE THIS VERSION OF IT, THE FINAL VERSION WILL BE POSTED TO THE WEBSITE AS AS WELL.
SO IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT IT, PLEASE FEEL FREE TO GET BACK TO ME OR MY STAFF.
[VII. Recess to Closed Executive Session]
TO RECESS TO CLOSED EXECUTIVE SESSION, RECESS TO CLOSED EXECUTIVE SESSION PURSUANT TO OPEN MEETINGS ACT SECTION TWO C ONE, THE APPOINTMENT, EMPLOYMENT COMPENSATION, DISCIPLINE, PERFORMANCE OR DISMISSAL OF SPECIFIC EMPLOYEES OF THE PUBLIC BODY.SEVEN AYES, NO NAYS, WE ADJOURNED TO CLOSE.